Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister confirms PTI march to Islamabad — Dawn
In Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that PTI would not abandon its planned October 4 march to Islamabad. At the first stage, protesters are to reach Swabi, which borders Punjab province, Dawn reports.
PTI announced the march as part of a nationwide protest demanding the release of the party’s founder, Imran Khan. Afridi called the planned action unprecedented in the country’s history and said that after arriving in Swabi, protesters are to move further on.
Peaceful nature of the march
The head of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government said that march participants would be unarmed. He also accused the ruling PML-N party of allegedly trying to place its supporters among PTI ranks in order to provoke disorder.
According to Afridi, a chain of command operates among the march participants: if one leader disappears, another person will replace them. He also criticized the federal government’s counterterrorism policy, saying that it has failed to end terrorism in the province over 22 years.
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Possible actions by federal authorities
Federal ministers criticized the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for focusing on the political march instead of security challenges. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that governor’s rule or a state of emergency could be imposed in the province if necessary, citing the security situation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also said that such steps could be considered if lawlessness and political instability intensify. According to him, he regularly informs the president about the situation in the province, while the possibility of imposing governor’s rule is provided for by the constitution.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah named a state of emergency, governor’s rule and political dialogue among the possible options. He accused the provincial authorities of insufficient efforts to counter terrorism.
