Afridi rules out military operations as PTI march heads for Khairabad
Afridi rules out military operations as PTI march heads for Khairabad
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi told participants of the PTI long march in Khyber on Wednesday that no military operations would be allowed in the province, as the protest caravan entered its fourth day and set its sights on Khairabad. The PTI march to Khairabad is now the decisive phase: Afridi says the next steps of the movement will be announced there on Thursday (Oct 8).
Addressing marchers, Afridi repeated his government’s long-standing opposition to military operations, a position he has held since taking office. The remarks come amid a sharp centre-province standoff over counterterrorism policy, with the military’s spokesperson accusing the provincial government of resisting operations.
PTI march to Khairabad via Peshawar
The caravan moved through Peshawar on Wednesday, the fourth day of a march that began at Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on Oct 4 after talks between the PTI and the federal government collapsed. Supporters from Khyber district joined the convoy, which planned an overnight halt near the Charsadda Interchange.
On Thursday, caravans from Charsadda, Mohmand and other districts are to converge at Khairabad, near the Punjab border, where Afridi has said the movement’s next phase will be announced. The government has placed containers on roads in Attock and Taxila and says the march will not be allowed into Islamabad. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has warned the rally will not be allowed past Attock.
No operations, says CM
Afridi’s pledge echoes his inaugural address to the provincial assembly, where he said military operations were not a solution and decisions on the tribal districts must not be taken in “closed rooms”. The military spokesperson has countered that the bulk of terrorist incidents occur in K-P and accused the PTI of a politically permissive attitude toward militancy.
The operations debate is now fused with the march itself. The federal government cites terrorism and governance failures as grounds to weigh governor’s rule in K-P, while the PTI calls such talk unconstitutional. Afridi has already rejected the governor’s security huddle as an attack on the Constitution.
What the march wants
The PTI says the march demands the release of party founder Imran Khan, access to medical care for him, and an end to restrictions on meetings with him. Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah has warned that no demand will be accepted under pressure. The march’s earlier legs passed through Karak, Kohat and Mattani, drawing large crowds as the party rallies behind its chief minister.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the PTI march headed?
The caravan reached Peshawar on Wednesday and converges at Khairabad on Thursday (Oct 8), where Afridi will announce the next phase.
What does Afridi say about military operations?
He says no military operations will be allowed in K-P, a position he has held since becoming chief minister, favouring political solutions instead.
Why did the march start?
The PTI launched it on Oct 4 after rounds of talks with the government collapsed, demanding Imran Khan’s release and medical access.
