Shaun
A Pakistan Day rally organised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday faced “resistance” from law enforcement as it proceeded toward Mazar-i-Quaid, according to a statement from the party, Dawn reported.
The rally, led by PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh, Karachi President Raja Azhar, General Secretary Arsalan Khalid, and other party leaders, commenced from Empress Market and was set to reach Mazar-i-Quaid. However, PTI alleged that multiple barricades were placed along the route in an attempt to hinder the march.
The party further claimed that police forces were heavily deployed around the Karachi Press Club and that at Mazar-i-Quaid, officials allegedly used force to disperse demonstrators, leading to several PTI workers being physically restrained.
“Heavy police deployment was observed around the Press Club, while at Mazar-i-Quaid, officials allegedly used force to disperse participants, resulting in several PTI workers being manhandled,” the statement read.
PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh condemned the police action, saying, “We are patriotic Pakistanis, yet we are being stopped from celebrating Pakistan Day. We are carrying national flags, not weapons.” He accused the Sindh government of operating under a “dictatorship” led by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and alleged that police were more focused on suppressing PTI than addressing Karachi’s growing street crime, reported Dawn.
Raja Azhar also criticised the crackdown, questioning, “As Pakistani citizens, do we not have the right to celebrate Pakistan Day?” He further claimed that Bilawal’s “illegitimate government” was on the verge of collapse and predicted the downfall of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sindh.
The PTI statement added, “During the rally, participants waved both Pakistani and PTI flags while chanting slogans demanding the release of Imran Khan and criticising the government’s policies,” as per reports by Dawn.
When contacted, South Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza stated that the police had cordoned off the Karachi Press Club for “security reasons” by parking buses on Sarwar Shaheed Road and setting up temporary barriers.
The delegations from Ukraine and the United States wrapped up the ceasefire talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov calling the talks “productive and focused”. Shortly after the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a statement on Russia’s latest strike in the country, insisting that Moscow is the only one who needs to bring the war to an end.
According to The Kyiv Post, the discussions between Umerov’s team and that of US envoy Steve Witkoff focused largely on the protection of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The delegations from both nations also discussed the future of the Russian-occupied nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest. The nuclear plant was also mentioned in US President Donald Trump’s remarks about negotiations to end the war.
“The discussion was productive and focused. We addressed key points including energy,” Umerov wrote on social media, shortly after the Riyadh meeting. Before the talks, the minister had already mentioned that the proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure would be on the agenda.
Trump pledges to end the war by Easter
After the meeting, Witkoff promoted Trump’s belief that only the American leader can solve the problem. On Sunday, Trump promised a ceasefire by Easter. This year, in a rare instance, Catholic and Protestant Easter, observed mostly in the West, and Orthodox Easter, observed by both Russians and Ukrainians, falls on the same day: April 20.
“I feel that [Russian President Vladimir Putin] wants peace,” Witkoff told Fox News on Sunday. “I think you’re going to see in Saudi Arabia on Monday some real progress, particularly as it affects a Black Sea ceasefire on ships between both countries. And from that you’ll naturally gravitate to a full-on shooting ceasefire,” he added.
Zelenskyy on the other hand, presented a less optimistic picture in his evening address on Sunday. While he lauded the talks, calling them ” quite useful” and conducted in a “constructive manner,” he insisted that Moscow is the one who is continuing to shell Ukrainian communities and ignoring ceasefire proposals.
“Russia is the only one who is dragging this war out,” Zelensky said. “No matter what we talk about with our partners, we need to push Putin to give a real order to stop the strikes.” “The one who brought this war must take it away,” he added.
His comments came just moments after Moscow continued to launch relentless strikes on several residential areas around Ukraine, killing several civilians, including children and destroying well more than a hundred private homes.
Discussions between the US & Russia scheduled for Monday
Delegations from the US and Russia will sit down on Monday, to discuss the ceasefire proposal. However, the Kremlin is maintaining a cautious stance over the matter. “We are only at the beginning of this path,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state TV.
Peskov noted that the “main” focus of Russia’s talks with the American delegation would be a possible resumption of a 2022 Black Sea grain deal that ensured safe navigation for Ukrainian farm exports via the Black Sea. “On Monday, we mainly intend to discuss President Putin’s agreement to resume the so-called Black Sea initiative, and our negotiators will be ready to discuss the nuances around this problem,” Peskov said.
