WAZIRISTAN: PTI workers allegedly opened fire and clashed with police in Upper South Waziristan, when they were attempting to enter Lower South Waziristan to join the party’s long march, according to reports.
Police also resorted shelling in defence to stop the workers which caused tense situation in the area. The workers of the Insaf Youth Wing were heading towards Lower South Waziristan when the clash occurred. Reports from different areas said that heated arguments, verbal exchanges, pushing and physical clashes also took place among PTI workers, raising questions about the party’s arrangements and organisational discipline.
Meanwhile, the situation in Landi Kotal appeared different from PTI claims of large gatherings and strong public participation in the long march. A relatively low number of workers was reportedly seen at some locations. The limited presence of workers and the reported disorder at some gathering points raised questions about the level of public response to the protest campaign.
PTI has announced its long march from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Islamabad today, with workers and supporters expected to travel towards the federal capital. The development comes as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is already facing a serious security challenge. Political protests, internal differences and security concerns have added to the difficulties facing the province.
Meanwhile, talks between the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments on counterterrorism measures also failed to reach an agreement, further increasing political tensions. The developments ahead of the march have raised questions about PTI’s preparations, the level of public participation and the party’s ability to maintain organisational discipline during the protest.
Read also: Long March Falls Short: Gandapur Fails to Attract Crowd
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[…] She said the loss of lives could have been reduced if security personnel had been provided with the required resources and protection. Asma also questioned Chief Minister Sohail Afridi over the provincial government’s priorities, asking whether they were political protests or ending terrorism and protecting the people. She called for a national strategy to tackle terrorism in KP beyond political differences and stressed the need for transparent use of funds allocated for counterterrorism. Read also: PTI Workers Open Fire, Clash With Police in Waziristan […]