Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Karachi Visit Sparks Controversy Over ‘Illegal Activity’ Allegations
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has accused Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi of engaging in “illegal activity and travel” as part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) plans for a nationwide street movement. Sanaullah made these remarks on Friday, suggesting that Chief Minister Afridi’s presence in Karachi to mobilize party support is unlawful.
The KP chief executive is currently in Karachi, a visit that PTI asserts is in line with party founder Imran Khan’s directives for launching a street movement. However, Sanaullah, appearing on Geo News, contested the PTI’s capacity to initiate such a movement, labeling their planned nationwide wheel-jam strike on February 8 as an act of “violence.”
KP CM’s Travel Deemed Illegal Activity
Sanaullah specifically targeted Chief Minister Afridi’s participation, stating, “The KP CM is involved in illegal activity and his travel is illegal.” When pressed for details on the illegality of the visit, he argued, “How is a wheel-jam strike a political activity permitted by the law and Constitution? Holding a wheel-jam strike in and of itself is illegal.” He further added that the Sindh government would not permit such a strike, and the PTI lacked the capacity to disrupt even a single road. These statements were reported by sources familiar with the political discourse circulating on platforms like SindhNews.com.
Addressing the February 8 Wheel-Jam Strike
Shafiullah Jan, Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, countered Sanaullah’s claims during the same program. Jan clarified that the February 8 wheel-jam strike was called by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, chairman of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan opposition alliance. Jan suggested Sanaullah was confused, recalling a statement from Sanaullah that implied May 9 case charges would be reopened if the strike call wasn’t revoked. Jan interpreted this as further evidence that the May 9 events were a “false flag operation against the PTI.” The PTI, he stated, would support Achakzai’s call for the wheel-jam strike.
Sanaullah, however, remained firm in his prediction that any PTI street movement would fail. He estimated that only a small number of participants, perhaps around 4,500 from KP, might join, citing a recent Peshawar rally that drew a similarly modest crowd despite extensive preparation. He also expressed skepticism about the PTI’s narrative regarding the May 9 incidents and the legitimacy of their planned actions.
The KP CM’s three-day visit to Karachi includes meetings with party leadership, legal figures, business leaders, and a planned session with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The overarching objective of this visit is reportedly to invigorate the party’s newly launched street movement, which aims to secure the release of the former prime minister.
The controversy underscores the escalating political tensions and differing legal interpretations surrounding protest activities in Pakistan ahead of the proposed nationwide strike.