KARACHI – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi arrived in Karachi for high-profile three-day visit to Sindh. PTI leader was warmly welcomed at airport by Sindh Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani, who presented him with the iconic Sindhi Ajrak and cap, symbolizing the province’s cultural hospitality.
Afridi’s arrival was far from ceremonial. From the airport, he was escorted to Insaaf House in a rally, where he engaged with party officials and workers. Following this, he is scheduled to address the media at the Karachi Press Club, sending a clear message of PTI’s re-emergence in the metropolis.
During his Sindh visit, Afridi will also tour Bagh-e-Jinnah, the site where PTI plans a massive public gathering on Sunday, January 11—marking the party’s first major political activity in Karachi in several years. Previous PTI rallies in the city often faced police crackdowns, but this time the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has shown a notably positive stance.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon emphasized that the provincial government fully upholds democratic values, implementing a free-movement policy. “The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be provided full security and protocol during his visit,” Memon said, adding that the Sindh government is prepared to extend every possible facility within the framework of the law.
Memon also addressed the political dynamics, saying “PTI and PPP have ideological and political differences, but in democratic societies, criticism and dissent are part of the process. If PTI voices criticism, it has the right to do so, and PPP equally has the right to respond politically.”
According to PTI’s detailed schedule, Afridi’s visit will also include Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas, further expanding the party’s footprint in Sindh.
However, whether PTI will actually be able to hold its Bagh-e-Jinnah rally on January 11 remains uncertain. The Assistant Commissioner Karachi has yet to issue the No Objection Certificate (NOC), which is crucial for the gathering. PTI Karachi President Raja Azhar revealed that, while the Sindh government has verbally granted permission, the official NOC is still pending. He stressed that the NOC must be issued by 3 PM today, so that PTI can submit the pay order of 2.5 million PKR to the Mazar-e-Quaid administration—2 million as challan and 0.5 million as a security deposit.
The visit is taking place amid tense political maneuvering. Afridi arrived in Karachi after his flight was delayed for several hours, an act the KP government has accused the administration of orchestrating deliberately. Despite this, the four-day Sindh visit is moving forward with Afridi accompanied by his cabinet members and party parliamentarians.
All eyes are now on Bagh-e-Jinnah and whether PTI will overcome bureaucratic hurdles to stage one of Karachi’s most anticipated political gatherings in years, a moment that could reshape city’s political landscape.
Sindh assures KP CM Afridi of full freedom for political activities during visit: Sharjeel
