Will not allow military operations, KP CM tells march participants in Khyber

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi told participants of a protest march on Wednesday that he would not allow any military operations in the province. The march, which began on Oct 4 from Lakki Marwat and Karak, was intended to demand the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, who is currently in jail. Afridi had initially planned for the convoy to reach Khairabad, near the Punjab border, on Oct 8 to announce the next step.

However, he now announced that the final destination would be Swabi, where he would reveal further plans. The march was expected to reach Peshawar on Thursday, with an overnight stay in Charsadda. Afridi vowed to resist anti-people policies and denounced the government's counterterrorism strategy, which he claimed was a factor in his decision to organize the protest.

He emphasized that the people of Tirah, who were displaced in harsh winter conditions, had not been adequately supported by the Centre. Afridi also accused the Centre of withholding funds promised for displaced families in Khyber, despite his government releasing Rs21 billion for their benefit. Despite the federal government's warning against protests in Islamabad, the PTI proceeded with the march after negotiations broke down over various issues, including counterterrorism policies.