Police arrest Haleem Adil Sheikh and more than 20 PTI workers at Karachi Press Club protest

Police on Friday detained Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh along with more than 20 men and women party leaders and workers during a protest outside the Karachi Press Club.

The PTI had called for the rally after the authorities refused to allow a meeting with the party’s jailed founder Imran Khan. A heavy police contingent, including female personnel, was deployed around the press club ahead of the protest. Roads in the area were blocked. Buses, minibuses and other means of transport were diverted to alternative routes.

After Friday prayers, a group of female workers gathered outside the press club, demanding a meeting with the party founder and former prime minister and calling for his release. They dispersed shortly after. Later, a demonstration led by Sheikh managed to reach the press club and joined the protest.

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Addressing his supporters, Sheikh said the party would continue its rallies until a meeting with the PTI founder was allowed. The workers raised slogans and more workers and party supporters also joined.

The police intervened to disperse the protest. Male and female officers detained several protesters, including Sheikh, who was detained along with other leaders and workers and taken to nearby police stations. The female members of the party were taken to the women’s police station. The surrounding area briefly became a confrontation zone as police and protesters engaged in a prolonged cat-and-mouse chase. Once the arrests were completed, police cleared the scene and opened roads.

Speaking to reporters, PTI MPA Sajid Hussain Mir said, “The party had organized a peaceful protest seeking to meet Khan, but the police started detaining the workers when they were already dispersing.” He condemned the arrest of more than 20 leaders and workers, including Sheikh, adding that the party was seeking legal avenues for their release.

Read also: PTI demands meeting with Imran Khan, citing health concerns

According to the PTI Sindh spokesperson, the protesters were demonstrating against the suspension of meetings with Imran Khan when the police “took action” against peaceful protesters and PTI leaders and detained Sheikh along with many others, including Dawa Khan, Muazzam Khan, Yasir Baloch, Anwar Mehdi, Raza Yasir and more than two dozen workers. Leaders and workers were also arrested.

Sheikh and other senior leaders were taken to Preedy police station.

SSP South Manzoor Ali confirmed that several PTI leaders and workers had been detained and said further action would be taken in accordance with the law.

Speaking earlier during the protest, Sheikh had said that the entire nation had only one demand – permission to meet Imran Khan. He stated that the protest remained peaceful but that “the police attacked the workers.” “We will no longer tolerate this injustice,” he said.

The PTI spokesperson said protests would continue across Sindh against the suspension of meetings with the party founder.

In a video statement posted on “Our peaceful protest was attacked. The male police personnel also misbehaved with women and they will not be spared from this,” she said.

Sheikh demanded that the authorities reveal the well-being of PTI founder Imran Khan and allow party leaders to meet him immediately. “Tell us about Khan’s condition, arrange a meeting with him. Shoot us if necessary; we don’t care about our own lives,” he added.

PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram also claimed that the police officers had misbehaved with the protesters, calling it “a shameful and punishable act”.

Imran has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges. His party says prolonged isolation violates prison rules. Online campaigns have boosted the hashtag “WHEREISIMRANKHAN”.

Speculation has circulated in local media about Imran’s possible transfer to a more restrictive facility. However, a senior prison official told Reuters that the former prime minister was in good health and that no transfer was planned. The official did not want to be identified for protocol reasons.