The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has announced its decision to march from the Insaf House to Quaid’s Mausoleum on April 21 against the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi.

“We want to highlight the issues on a national level,” PTI leader Saifur Rehman said at a press conference in Karachi on Friday. The party lamented that it has not been given permission to hold a protest on April 28.

Pakistan’s economic hub has seen an increase in street crimes, with the MQM-P demanding Rangers be given additional powers to ensure peace in the city.

Earlier this month, the Sindh Rangers director general suggested that the institution should be given police powers to ensure law and order in the province amid rising crimes, demanding special authority as given in the past to fight terrorism.

PTI leader Saeed Afridi said that unrest has grown in the city and condemned the targeted attack on foreigners in the city’s Landhi Mansehra Colony earlier in the day.

“At least 68 people were killed and 68,000 mobile phones were stolen in the three months in Karachi,” he said and slammed the provincial government for not maintaining order.

While taking a jibe at the ruling government’s claims, he said that the provincial government has only one purpose to arrest the PTI leaders. Afridi went on to add that the PPP has “failed” in controlling the situation in the riverine area, better known as katcha, and not protecting the people in Karachi.

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“People neither in katcha nor in cities are safe,” he said and demanded the chief justice take notice of the incidents and take action.

The April 6 meeting where Rangers sought additional powers was summoned by the Sindh High Court chief justice.

SHC CJ Abbasi had ordered the officials to ensure peace in Karachi and other cities within a month. He advised police and Rangers to conduct joint operations. “No matter how powerful the patron may be, he should be brought under the law.”