PTI to ‘forcefully exercise’ right to protest, scare tactics won’t break resolve, says CM Afridi

Peshawar and Islamabad witnessed a tense political climate as the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party announced its plans to proceed with a protest march on September 27, despite recent arrests of party members and supporters. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi declared that the party would "forcefully exercise" its right to peaceful protest on the designated date, dismissing scare tactics employed by the government.

Afridi alleged that plainclothed men had "attacked and abducted" Minister Shakeel Khan and reported the abduction of Labor Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan in Batkhela. PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan criticized the government's approach, stating that 1,500 party supporters had been detained and five MNAs, as well as former senators, were arrested.

Gohar emphasized that the party's issues should be resolved through political means, not violence. The PTI condemned the arrest of its lawmakers in Islamabad and demanded their immediate release, calling the government's actions undemocratic. Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan also expressed concern over the political situation, urging the government to release detained political workers and citizens.