K-P CM Afridi vows to lead Sept 27 long march to Islamabad

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Saturday vowed to personally lead Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in the September 27 long march to Islamabad, declaring that the announced date was firm and non-negotiable and that the party would not retreat until achieving its objective. The chief minister made the remarks during a one-day visit to Hangu as part of preparations for the long march. He addressed participants of the PTI’s Street Movement at Hangu Bazaar Chowk and Abu Bakr Siddique Chowk. PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar Khan, Provincial Ministers Shafi Jan and Meena Khan Afridi, and other party leaders and workers also attended the gatherings. Thanking the people and party workers for their participation, Afridi urged them to make comprehensive preparations for the September 27 march. “This time, there is no turning back. We will return victorious on September 27. I will lead you, so be prepared,” he said. The chief minister strongly criticised the alleged failure to implement a Supreme Court order regarding PTI founder Imran Khan’s medical treatment. He claimed that a three-member bench had directed that Imran be provided treatment at Shifa International Hospital, but the order had not been implemented despite the court allowing two days for arrangements. Afridi alleged that the government and administration had disregarded the judicial directive, undermining the authority of the judiciary. He questioned what he described as selective implementation of court orders, saying directives against PTI and its workers were implemented immediately, while the order concerning Imran’s treatment had not been enforced. “There cannot be one law for the weak and another for the powerful in the same country,” he said, urging the judiciary to ensure equal application of the law. He maintained that equal justice was at the heart of Imran’s struggle for real freedom and urged the courts to uphold justice without discrimination. The chief minister also expressed concern over the country’s economic situation, saying public debt had reached Rs97 trillion while ordinary citizens faced inflation and growing financial difficulties. He claimed industrial capital was moving abroad and farmers and the wider population were bearing the consequences of flawed policies. Describing Imran as a symbol of national unity, the chief minister said his return would restore public confidence in state institutions and bring peace. He criticised policies that, he alleged, were resulting in the loss of innocent lives while benefiting a small group of powerful people. He particularly appealed to the youth to participate in the September 27 movement, saying young people constituted around 90 per cent of PTI rally participants. “The youth have to decide the country’s future. They must stand up for their own future,” he said. Afridi also alleged continued repression of PTI workers and women, referring to the Muridke incident and alleged mistreatment of Imran’s sisters.