PTI's Karachi rally

PTI is not a fringe group. It is a mass political party with electoral mandates in provinces and millions of supporters across the country. And in a constitutional order, size and support matter because they translate into a legitimate claim to public space. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi's recent visit to Sindh illustrates how that right has selectively been narrowed. After an underwhelming and permission-denied visit to Lahore, Afridi's three-day trip to Karachi and Hyderabad was meant to revive momentum for PTI's street mobilisation. What followed in Karachi was a textbook case of how coercive policing can turn a manageable political gathering into a flashpoint.

The Sindh government had, on paper, permitted the rally at Bagh-i-Jinnah. Yet delays in the issuance of the NOC created confusion. PTI's decision to shift the venue to one of the gates of Mazar-i-Quaid was legally contentious but politically predictable. Throughout the day, reports emerged of shelling, baton-charges, blocked routes and dispersed crowds. The police and provincial authorities offered counter claims, insisting that the K-P CM was escorted via safe routes. Despite hurdles, the Karachi rally ultimately drew a sizeable crowd. It was noisy, charged and oppositional - but not inherently violent. Yet, almost inevitably, the aftermath shifted the focus towards punitive accountability when video footage linked to the May 9 incidents was reintroduced, with forensic verification reports confirming Afridi's presence in some clips - a move many see less as neutral justice and more as a clampdown.

That said, an important distinction must be maintained. Afridi is the elected CM of a province. As such, he represents the mandate of millions and must be treated accordingly. Political disagreement does not justify humiliation or denial of space. However, his status also carries responsibility. Political mobilisation, while legitimate, must not come at the expense of governance. Governance in K-P, particularly at a time when terrorism continue to pose serious challenges, should not become secondary to street politics.