Sharae Faisal blockade: PTI disowns Vawda’s demonstration

Hundreds of protesters blocked the main Sharae Faisal at Star Gate demanding govt to ‘end Pakistan’s problems’

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Karachi leader Imran Ismail has said their colleague, Faisal Vawda, who was taken into custody for blocking Sharae Faisal in protest, acted alone.

Hundreds of protesters blocked the main Sharae Faisal at Star Gate on Wednesday, demanding the government to ‘end Pakistan’s problems’.

According to Traffic East SP Qamar Rizvi, hundreds of people thronged the Star Gate at around 3pm, after which traffic diversions were arranged through Karsaz Road and Rashid Minhas Road.



Rizvi said commuters travelling towards the airport were asked to take University Road using Model Colony Graveyard Road.

Later, negotiations were initiated between the law enforcers and the protesters, supervised by Malir SSP Rao Anwar.

A few hours later, Airport police SHO Mithal Bhurghri took Vawda into custody after the negotiations failed as he refused to end the protest.



As a result, clashes erupted between the protesters and the police.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Ismail said that he has been tasked by party leaders, including chairman Imran Khan, to look into the matter as Vawda ‘was not following party orders’.

“He organised this protest in his individual capacity and the PTI had no thing to do with it,” he said, adding that the party leadership has taken notice of the incident and will inquire about the matter from Vawda.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2016.