Karachi (HRNW)- Protests were held across Sindh on Sunday against the sentences awarded to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) patron-in-chief Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and other party leaders, following a call by PTI Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh.
Demonstrations took place in various areas of Karachi as well as in Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad and multiple cities of the Larkana division, including Pano Aqil, Qambar Shahdadkot, Mirpur Mathelo, Kandhkot, Umerkot, Tando Jan Mohammad, Kashmore, Naushahro Feroze, Rohri, Sukkur, Sakrand, Nawabshah, Jacobabad, Sajawal, Kunri and Daulatpur, among others.
PTI leaders, workers and a large number of citizens participated in the protests, rejecting the sentences awarded to Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and other party leaders, and raising slogans against what they termed politically motivated convictions.
In Karachi, a protest was led by PTI Karachi president Raja Azhar, General Secretary Arsalan Khalid, Faheem Khan and other party leaders. Separately, the Insaf Youth Wing Karachi organised an Release Imran Khan Workers’ Convention, which was attended by central office-bearers of the PTI Youth Wing and leaders of PTI Karachi.
Speaking to the media, PTI Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh termed the sentences awarded to Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi “regrettable and shameful”. He said Imran Khan was a great national leader and that all cases against him were false and baseless. He alleged that a “puppet government” had pushed the country towards ruin, adding that despite Imran Khan’s role in establishing institutions such as Shaukat Khanum Hospital and Namal University, attempts were being made to subdue him through fabricated cases. “The entire nation stands with Imran Khan. This farce must now end,” he said, adding that no corruption had ever been proven against the former prime minister.
PTI Karachi president Raja Azhar said the sentence awarded to Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana Case-II was a clear act of political victimisation. He said the verdict violated the principles of justice and was aimed at sidelining the PTI leadership. Dragging a homemaker into political cases and sentencing her was, he added, a blatant violation of the law and national traditions. He said the decision would be challenged in higher courts and expressed confidence that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi would ultimately be vindicated. “These tactics of oppression will not last long,” he said, adding that the party would continue its peaceful and legal struggle.
PTI Karachi Division Senior vice-president Faheem Khan said oppression had reached its peak and that the nation wanted to see Imran Khan released from jail. He alleged that after stealing the public mandate, anti-people decisions were now being imposed to fuel resentment. He said the nation rejected the sentences awarded in what he described as false cases, adding that a street movement had begun on Imran Khan’s directives and that people across the country would take to the streets.
