CM visits Bannu to prepare people for Sept march

PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi visited Bannu on a one-day mission to prepare the populace for the upcoming Long March on September 27th. During his visit, he led a Street Movement rally and spoke to the attendees. Additionally, PTI Provincial President Junaid Akbar Khan, Provincial Ministers Shafi Jan and Meena Khan Afridi, MNA Shahid Khattak, and numerous other provincial and local leaders joined the rally.

The chief minister expressed his gratitude to the people of Bannu for turning up in large numbers and warmly welcoming him despite the scorching heat. He emphasized that the same spirit and determination must persist, explaining that the 27th September march would be a critical event that necessitated thorough and effective preparations.

Afridi highlighted that the nation stood at a pivotal point, where its political destiny and history could be reshaped, and that it was the people who had to play their part in determining their future.

He stated, "No one will come from outside to change our destiny; we have to do it ourselves." With regards to the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the chief minister pointed out that peace had prevailed in the province during Imran Khan's tenure as Prime Minister until 2022. However, the current circumstances, according to him, were entirely different. Afridi held the current administration and those responsible for bringing it to power accountable for the decline in peace within the province.

He made it clear that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been used as a testing ground for experiments over the past two decades, and that the province's people had been treated as if their lives and rights were insignificant. The chief minister underscored that the provincial government would vehemently oppose any decisions that threatened the interests and rights of the province and its residents.

Afridi recounted the immense sacrifices made by the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including thousands of lives, in the restoration and preservation of peace. However, he lamented that decisions made behind closed doors had tarnished that peace. He stressed that peace was essential for sustainable development, economic opportunity, and prosperity, and reiterated that the provincial government was implementing all feasible measures, within its mandate and priorities, to restore peace.

In tribute to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, Afridi praised the provincial police force for leading the effort to restore peace and protect citizens. He affirmed that the provincial government was providing the force with all necessary support and allocated a budget of Rs 191 billion for the police, while also investing substantial resources into police infrastructure, modern equipment, and professional training.

The chief minister recalled that between 2018 and 2022, decisions made in the public interest contributed to enhanced conditions of peace and prosperity across the country. In contrast, he lamented the current situation, where even the courts had been held captive, and the country's most popular leader remained unjustly imprisoned.

"If this is the situation, what remains of the rights of the ordinary citizen?" Afridi questioned. He urged the people to join the Long March on September 27th if they desired a system where the law applies equally to everyone and justice is accessible to all.

Afridi accused the incumbent rulers of not caring for the country or its people, emphasizing that they were more concerned with safeguarding their own interests. He asserted that Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi was the leader who restored peace in the country and elevated the nation's sense of dignity, currently suffering unjust imprisonment for the sake of the country's future.

Afridi vowed to personally lead the struggle for his leader's release, the protection of the people's rights, and the supremacy of the Constitution and the law.

He called for a struggle for genuine freedom that would also encompass the restoration of the independence of the judiciary and the media. He lamented that those who spoke the truth and stood for what was right were silenced, citing the case of journalist Arshad Sharif. Afridi also honored all journalists who continued to advocate for truth and principle.

Addressing the youth, he encouraged the rally participants, particularly the youth, to stay focused on their objective, continue their preparations, and move forward with faith and conviction, emphasizing that unity and solidarity were crucial to the struggle, and that the prevailing enthusiasm, determination, and unity among the people would be a decisive factor in shaping the future.