Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has announced that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will launch a long march from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on October 4, calling for the supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law and restoration of an independent judiciary.
In a statement on social media, Afridi said the long march would begin at 1pm from Gandi Chowk and continue until PTI’s demands were fulfilled.
He said PTI was Pakistan’s largest and most popular political party and maintained that the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to peaceful protest.
Afridi said PTI’s demands were based on constitutional and legal rights, while alleging that Imran Khan, his family members and party workers were being denied their lawful rights.
The KP chief minister also focused on the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying terrorism was not merely a “narrative war” but a reality affecting the people of the province and Pakistan.
He reiterated Imran Khan’s position that military operations against local populations and the displacement of civilians could not provide a lasting solution to terrorism. He also criticised drone strikes and what he described as “collateral damage.”
Afridi claimed that opposition to the current counterterrorism policy was no longer limited to PTI and said political and religious groups across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had expressed similar concerns.
He further questioned the effectiveness of existing security policies and said peace could be restored in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within 100 days through a change in policy.
The chief minister also raised questions about the provision of weapons to the provincial police and alleged that PTI leaders and workers were being targeted while other groups were being facilitated.
Referring to the wider security situation, Afridi questioned why terrorism continued in Balochistan despite what he described as coordination between the federal and provincial governments.
On the May 9, 2023 violence, Afridi said PTI would not allow a repeat of the events and alleged that those who took away CCTV footage were responsible for facilitating the incident.
He urged Pakistanis to remember October 4, when the PTI long march will begin from Gandi Chowk, Lakki Marwat, at 1pm.