By Our Correspondents
PESHAWAR/LAKKI MARWAT/DI KHAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Sunday launched the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) long march towards Islamabad from Lakki Marwat, declaring that the provincial government would not accept any policy that went against the interests of the people of KP.
The PTI proceeded with the march despite warnings from the federal government, which has vowed to prevent violent gatherings in Islamabad.
The protest is primarily aimed at demanding the release of jailed PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
By late Sunday night, the convoy led by Afridi had entered Karak district and reached Hamidan Chowk. PTI said in a post shortly before 11pm that the convoy was travelling towards Karak after Afridi addressed supporters at a roundabout near the Bannu-Karak district border.
Earlier, Afridi arrived in Lakki Marwat by helicopter to lead the march, which began from Gandi Chowk on the Peshawar-Karachi Indus Highway.
Thousands of supporters took to the streets in Lakki Marwat, according to an AFP journalist at the scene. Demonstrators waved PTI’s red and green flags, while a large billboard mounted on a truck displayed the message “Release Imran Khan” alongside a picture of the former premier.
Addressing the gathering, Afridi called on people to leave their homes and join the movement, saying Imran Khan, his wife and sisters were in prison. He urged supporters to demonstrate to the world that they were the “true owners” of the country.
Afridi also criticised the political process, claiming that PTI’s negotiating committee had travelled to Islamabad in an effort to reduce political tensions but that those making decisions behind closed doors had undermined the talks.
“They wanted their will to prevail in KP, but I declared that only Imran Khan’s vision and policies would be implemented here,” he said.
The chief minister maintained that his government would reject policies that were not in the interests of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Pashtuns.
“We are not yes-men; we are soldiers of Imran Khan, and we will carry forward his policies,” Afridi told the gathering.
During his address, the KP chief minister repeatedly asked participants whether they supported a military operation, urging those opposed to such an operation to raise their hands.
