Dare and cross Swabi, Kundi challenges PTI long march participants

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed doubts on Friday regarding the Pakistani political party PTI's planned route for their long march, which aims to demand the release of jailed party founder Imran Khan. The route has undergone multiple changes since its launch on October 4, with the PTI initially intending to march towards Islamabad, but now reportedly looking to reach Swabi, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) that borders Punjab's Attock.

The opposition party in the Centre has announced Swabi as the eventual destination of the march. So far, the protesters have remained within KP, where the PTI is in power.

Kundi challenged the protesters to "dare and cross Swabi," stating that their hesitation to enter the district suggests a lack of self-respect. He also accused senior PTI leaders of "sitting in drawing rooms" in Islamabad and others of "hiding" while making claims of successful mobilization campaigns in Sindh and Punjab. Kundi questioned the absence of protesters from these provinces on the long march's truck.

Reacting to allegations of "abducting" KP lawmakers and cabinet members, Kundi demanded that KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi reveal who was responsible for such actions. He also called for the resignation of the KP CM and his cabinet on "ethical grounds," stating that they should focus on serving the province and nation instead of engaging in corruption.

Kundi vowed to protect KP from terrorism and criticized the PTI for turning their long march into a "Lucky Irani Circus" that travels from city to city without reaching Swabi. He also mentioned his recent meeting with the KP CM and the province's inspector general, stating that the province was burning and that the PTI had never condemned terrorism.