KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami - the coalition partners for municipal election in Karachi - staged power show in the metropolis on Saturday by holding a joint rally ahead of the third phase of local government election in Sindh. The rally was headed by the chiefs of both the respective parties - Imran Khan and Sirajul Haq. A large number of PTI and JI workers converged in the city as both leaders arrived here to boost the election campaign of LG polls. Imran and Siraj after coming out from the Karachi airport reached Star Gate and led the rally in a truck and also addressed the participants at various points. A large number of people further joined the convoy from different areas. After marching the city roads for six hours, Imran Khan left the rally near Jail Chowrangi while Sirajul Haq continued to lead the workers of both the parties to Quaid-e-Azam mausoleum, where according to schedule the joint rally was culminated after the display of fireworks.
Addressing the rally at various points, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said that people of Karachi were being divided on ethnic basis and PTI want to see a united Karachi. He said the people of Karachi were now awake and time had come that citizens should stand up against oppression and injustice. Improvement in policing and law enforcement system is the only way to bring peace in Karachi and then there would be no need of Rangers’ services in the city, he added. Lashing out at the Election Commission, he said stopping the party from carrying out the election campaign was dictatorship and not democracy. He said none of the democratic state stops party leaders from interacting with the people. Two cases have already been registered and it seems a third FIR is in order. Registration of more FIRs would prove to be a stain on the EC, he added.
Why the party chief is being stopped from announcing the party manifesto, he questioned. He vows to stand for the people rights. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced a package of Rs40 billion during the election in Gilgit Baltistan and announced Rs47 billion Kissan Package and others just before the polls but ECP was asleep and no action was witnessed on this violation. Even when Federal Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique announced development schemes for the residents of Railway Colony during the NA-122 by-polls, the ECP kept a mum. He said PTI and the nation do not accept the election commission. Khan strongly criticised the government and their allied forces for using unfair, non-democratic and nefarious tactics to grab powers and plundering the tax payers money. He alleged that Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has purchased property in Dubai worth 1400 billion rupees while Rs6 billion of Asif Ali Zardari is also dumped in the Swiss banks. Instead of bringing this illegal money back to the country, the corrupt leaders are raising the burden of taxes on the poor masses.
Criticising Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), he said MQM leadership might be witnessing this massive rally and he want to inform them that MQM faces the threat of minus-one from within and not from the outside. Speaking on the occasion, JI Chief Sirajul Haq said December 5 was the day of both the ‘revolution’ and ‘change’. Calling on the citizens of Karachi to vote against corrupt, terrorists’ mafias and status quo on the election day, he said a new city would emerge on December 5. He ensured Karachiites that the JI would provide justice and rights to the citizens at their doorsteps. He also promises them for provision of visionary leadership like Abdul Sattar Afghani and Naimatullah Khan.
Siraj said JI along with the PTI would make Karachi so peaceful that even MQM chief Altaf Hussain would feel safe in it. He said Karachi had been suffering since 30 years and party will give relief to the citizens by developing the city like the beautiful city, Istanbul. Today’s reception from the Karachiites will be a cause of worry for some in Islamabad and London, he added.
Workers and supporters of JI and PTI gave warm welcome to their chiefs - Sirajul Haq and Imran Khan - on their arrival to Karachi ahead of the third phase of local government elections in Sindh. The workers reached Star Gate, Karachi to welcome their leaders while JI-PTI leaders including Hafiz Naeem, Ali Zaidi along with the Karachi Chapter leadership welcomed both the leaders at the airport. Furthermore, heavy contingent of Rangers and police were deployed to control any untoward situation. On the other hand, registration of FIR was imminent against the JI and the PTI leaderships as Karachi Commissioner Shoaib Siddiqui maintained that both the parties have not obtained prior permission for the rally. Siddiqui said JI and PTI leaders had informed about the rally but did not ask for permission. “It would very difficult to let such a rally take place due to the security reasons while citizens also faced hardship during the day due to the rally,” said the commissioner. He further said the EC had directed the city administration to ensure implementation on code of conduct and action would be taken against anyone violating it.
Responding to the city administration, PTI leader Imran Ismail informed the media men that the party had sought permission from the Karachi administration in writing but no response had been given. He said rally would continue to its destination and it would be a mistake if the city administration tried to stop it. Moreover, traffic remains disturbed on various thoroughfares of Karachi during the rally. Motorists and commuters in public transport vehicles and patients in ambulances were stuck on various roads for hours as the vehicles moved at snail’s pace. Both the tracks of Shahrah-e-Faisal were closed for traffic as both the parties’ chiefs came out from the airport to lead the rally from Star Gate to Mazar-e-Quaid. The blockade compelled motorists and public transport vehicles to take alternative routes. All roads leading to Sharah-e-Faisal were almost choked and long queues of vehicles were seen moving at snail’s pace.
The traffic coming from Clifton also faced problems due to jams at the Metropole Hotel and at the intersection of Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road and Club Road near PIDC. The roads in the surrounding of Gulistan-e-Johar, Nipa Chowrangi, Hassan Square, Jail Chowrangi, Mazar-e-Quaid, MA Jinnah Road and other witnessed massive traffic jam but as the rally proceed forward traffic on the roads started normalising. The traffic police were deployed to regulate traffic but the attitudes of drivers were equally responsible for aggravating the traffic chaos as their impatience and intolerance created further congestion.