PTI Supporters Detained After Clash with Police Near Karachi Press Club
By Zeeshan Naseem :
Police in Karachi detained more than a dozen supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday after clashes erupted during a protest near the Karachi Press Club against rising fuel prices and inflation.
South Senior Superintendent of Police Mahzor Ali said officers had been deployed in the area to maintain law and order when some protesters began throwing stones at police personnel. In a video statement, he said the police responded with baton charges and the use of tear gas to disperse the crowd.
He estimated that between 15 and 20 individuals had been taken into custody, adding that legal action would be pursued against those detained. The officer insisted that the police action came only after demonstrators resorted to stone-pelting.
The PTI had announced a protest outside the Karachi Press Club at 4pm, describing it as part of a campaign against inflation and what the party called record increases in petroleum prices.
Videos shared by the PTI’s Sindh chapter on social media appeared to show policewomen dragging female protesters. The party alleged that women taking part in the demonstration had been beaten and arrested.
Earlier in the day, PTI Sindh president Haleem Adil Sheikh criticised authorities for restricting access to the press club. He said the party had planned peaceful demonstrations across the province and questioned why routes leading to the venue had been blocked.
Traffic police had closed several roads leading to the Karachi Press Club hours before the protest, citing security concerns. In a statement, the Karachi Traffic Police said both tracks of Din Mohammad Wafai Road had been shut, along with Sarwar Shaheed Road from the Coast Guard Officers’ Mess towards Angle Chowk.
Officials said traffic was being diverted through alternative routes, including M.R. Kyani Road, Aiwan-i-Sadr and Zainab Market, while vehicles from the Coast Guards’ Mess were directed towards the Passport Office.
The road closures drew criticism from journalists and media organisations, who expressed concern about repeated restrictions around the press club.
Karachi Press Club president Fazil Jamili said the building was a symbol of free expression and should not be treated as a security zone. Former KPC president Saeed Sarbazi also criticised the move, saying blocking access to the press club undermined democratic rights and press freedom.
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