The Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan (TTAP) strike in Sindh paralysed commercial activity and transport across Sindh on Sunday, a move described by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a public referendum against alleged electoral rigging, says Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh.
Mr Sheikh declared the industrial action historic, asserting that the people of Sindh had delivered a definitive verdict against the alleged manipulation of votes by voluntarily closing businesses. He reported that cities and towns from Karachi to Kashmore remained shut, with major commercial hubs in all provincial divisions observing a complete closure.
According to Sheikh, inter-city transport services from Karachi were also suspended as part of the wheel-jam protest. He emphasised the strike’s peaceful and voluntary nature, noting an absence of the coercion or violence that he said marked past demonstrations.
‘There was no coercion, no threats, no road blockades, no tyre burning and no stone-pelting – the public simply stayed at home and delivered its verdict,’ Sheikh stated, adding that even early-opening shops had closed down of their own accord.
The PTI leader condemned what he described as attempts by police to forcibly reopen shops and the arrest of party activists, calling such measures unacceptable. He alleged that home raids and detentions under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) law constituted political victimisation aimed at silencing dissent.
Demanding the restoration of what he termed a stolen mandate, Sheikh insisted that political stability could not be achieved without respecting public opinion and dismantling a ‘corrupt mafia.’
Other party officials, including PTI Sindh Vice President Rizwan Niazi and Karachi President Raja Azhar, echoed these sentiments. They reported that major Karachi markets had remained closed and criticised law enforcement for allegedly harassing traders and breaking shop locks. They asserted that peaceful protest was a fundamental right of every citizen.
The shutdown reportedly affected numerous commercial centres in Karachi, including Saddar, Tariq Road, and Bolton Market. Similar closures were observed in other major cities such as Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Mirpurkhas, along with dozens of smaller towns across the province.
In a concluding statement, Sheikh thanked the citizens of Sindh, asserting that the peaceful protest demonstrated public unity against injustice and electoral manipulation. ‘The public referendum against the imposed decision of February 8 is now clear, and the stolen mandate must be respected,’ he said.