PESHAWAR(National Times)- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was leading a convoy from Kohat to Mattani, located on the outskirts of Peshawar, as the PTI resumed its protest march to demand the release of jailed party founder and ex-prime minister Imran Khan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PTI Information Deputy Secretary in KP Ikram Khatana told Dawn that the protesters would spend the night in Mattani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The march began on Sunday (Oct 4) from Lakki Marwat, and the Afridi-led convoy reached Kohat on Monday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protesters aim to reach Khairabad \u2014 which borders Punjab \u2014 by Oct 8, where the KP chief minister will announce the next plan of action. And while the plan for the trek beyond Khairabad is yet to be announced, the PTI \u2014 which is in the government in KP and in the opposition in the Centre \u2014 had previously announced Islamabad as its final destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the Centre has warned the party against any protest or gatherings in Islamabad. But, PTI decided to embark on the march after weekend talks with the federal government to bridge their differences failed for multiple reasons, particularly over the counterterrorism policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before setting out for Mattani, CM Afridi addressed the PTI supporters at University Chowk in Kohat and criticised the federal government over its counterterrorism policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour failed policy did not end terrorism. Let me propose a policy under which peace can be established in 100 days,\u201d he said, according to a statement released by his office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said he was \u201cnot afraid of anyone and neither are the youth of KP\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have shared the draft of my demands on social media\u201d, he continued, referring to a set of proposal he said he had sent to the opposition team negotiating with the government last week. CM Afridi said if any of his demands was unconstitutional or illegal, he would cancel the long march.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The provincial chief executive rued that the PTI had employed all legal and constitutional means for the fulfillment of its demands, including meetings with Imran. But when one was not served justice, the Constitution allowed for peaceful protest, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the PTI would protest peacefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He maintained that the people wanted a resolution of their issues through the provincial government\u2019s policy, adding that there had been military operations in KP for the past 22 years but terrorism was still prevalent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour failed policy did not end terrorism. Let me propose a policy under which peace can be established in 100 days,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that once they would decide to move to Islamabad, nobody would be able to stop them. Referring to the PTI postponing the launch of its march from Sept 27 to Oct 4, he said \u201cthey now have problem that this is Test match\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CM Afridi also said that there were reports that Imran\u2019s health was again deteriorating in jail. He said if \u201cImran\u2019s health is played with or he suffers any harm\u201d, the jail administration, prime minister and other relevant authorities would be responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
March will not be allowed to move beyond Attock: Kundi<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier in the day, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi vowed that PTI\u2019s long march would not be allowed to proceed beyond Attock in Punjab \u2014 which borders KP \u2014 saying the party \u201cdid not have the capacity\u201d to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kundi made the remarks while speaking to Geo News programme \u2018Geo Pakistan\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey cannot go any further than Attock,\u201d Kundi said, challenging PTI to \u201ctry to take a step\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He contended that the party did not have \u201cenough capacity\u201d to march further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey claim to have two million people with them [\u2026] show us the people; they don\u2019t have the capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kundi said the province was suffering from terrorism and \u201cyet, they [PTI] want to march to Islamabad instead\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about his recent meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Peshawar, the governor recalled that the two often held meetings to discuss the security situation, and during last week\u2019s meeting, the two also discussed \u201cdialogue with the PTI as well as the way forward in relation to PTI\u2019s long march\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kundi cautioned: \u201cIf there is a mishap during the long march \u2014 especially if someone from southern KP who wants to reach Islamabad to carry out a plot [is involved] \u2014 what screening mechanisms does PTI have in place to prevent that from happening?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also assailed the PTI-led KP government for \u201cstaying silent\u201d on terrorist incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen the federal government asks for their support against militancy, they say that the army should leave the province and that we should hold a dialogue with Afghanistan,\u201d Kundi said, accusing the incarcerated PTI founder of \u201chaving militants settled in KP in the past\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe was called Taliban Khan,\u201d Kundi added, referring to Imran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kundi further claimed that KP Chief Minister Afridi was taking \u201cdirections from PTI leader Murad Saeed\u201d, whom the governor described as a \u201crunaway\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He vowed that Saeed \u201cwill be brought before the people and made to pay for his actions\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about the possibility of governor\u2019s rule in KP, Kundi said: \u201cIf the president and prime minister hand the task to the province [\u2026] and deem governor\u2019s rule necessary, the province will ensure its implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He held that governor\u2019s rule was the last resort. \u201cSurgery is the last option; first, you are put on medication. No one wishes to do it,\u201d he said, referring to governor\u2019s rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want to continue, but if you are pushed to the limit and there is no option left, then it is considered.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Monday night, after reaching Kohat\u2019s Lachi tehsil, CM Afridi said while addressing PTI supporters that this time, the party\u2019s struggle was a long one that required endurance and sustained mobilisation, according to a statement issued by his office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe must not exhaust ourselves. Our struggle is a long one,\u201d he said, adding that, however, from Oct 8 onwards, a \u201cT20 match\u201d would begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kundi also posted on social media that he had chaired an \u201cimportant security meeting\u201d with KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, KP\u2019s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed, and other senior officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe province cannot afford complacency when terrorism, crime and law-and-order challenges continue to threaten our people,\u201d Kundi said, calling on the provincial government to \u201cmake the safety of its people its foremost responsibility\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPolitical activity cannot come at the expense of security, and every institution must focus on protecting lives and maintaining peace,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also urged the PTI to end its long march and invited the opposition to sit with the government to resolve contentious issues through political dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The march so far<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After launching the already-postponed march from Lakki Marwat on Sunday afternoon, the KP CM\u2019s caravan reached Karak at night, where Afridi addressed supporters at Jail Chowk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ahead of the march, movement on several roads in KP\u2019s Dera Ismail Khan, Upper and Lower South Waziristan, Tank and Hangu was restricted under Section 144 for varying periods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Sunday, former KP CM Ali Amin Gandapur, who was leading PTI workers from DI Khan to Lakki Marwat, took a U-turn from Yarik because of road blockades and the prevailing law and order situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Noting that Section 144 had been imposed in the area for three days, Gandapur stressed that the party leadership had clearly directed workers not to damage public property or engage in any activity that could worsen the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nevertheless, he contended that the return should not be viewed as a withdrawal from the protest movement, but as a temporary decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Karachi, a planned protest campaign in different areas was disrupted after police deployed personnel at several locations, blocked roads and detained several party workers and leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PTI claimed that police detained more than 75 of its leaders and workers, including women, from different parts of Karachi. It further alleged that arrests made in other parts of Sindh, including Sukkur, put the total number of detained PTI workers across the province at more than 100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Saturday night, an opposition delegation comprising PTI and Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayin-i-Pakistan (TTAP), and a joint team of the government and PPP held hours-long negotiations, which ended in a deadlock.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PESHAWAR(National Times)- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was leading a convoy from Kohat to Mattani, located on the outskirts of Peshawar, as the PTI resumed its protest march to demand the release of jailed party founder and ex-prime minister Imran Khan. PTI Information Deputy Secretary in KP Ikram Khatana told Dawn that the protesters […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":134373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n