PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march has reportedly witnessed a limited turnout despite party leaders’ claims of bringing large numbers of supporters onto the streets.
The protest caravan, which has been travelling for three consecutive days with participants joining from different districts, has yet to see the level of public participation claimed by the party leadership.
The march is currently travelling from Bara tehsil in Khyber district towards Peshawar, under the leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi.
According to the report, despite the arrival of caravans from various areas and districts along the route, the overall number of participants has remained at around 3,000 to 4,000, while approximately 300 to 350 vehicles are accompanying the procession.
The turnout has remained limited even in the chief minister’s home district, despite claims by the PTI leadership that a large number of people would participate in the political activity.
Among the prominent leaders accompanying the march are Members of the National Assembly Iqbal Afridi, Shandana Gulzar and Shahid Khattak.
Other PTI leaders and workers accompanying the caravan include Shafi Jan, Sher Ali Afridi, Abdul Ghani Afridi, Adnan Qadri and Dr Nabi Jan.
‘KP Is Paying the Price’: Mian Iftikhar Slams PTI Politics
Earlier, Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Mian Iftikhar Hussain has criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led political activities, alleging that the province has been turned into a “political laboratory” and that the proposed long march is being used to divert public attention from pressing issues.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Hussain said the PTI was conducting what he described as a political spectacle in the name of a long march, arguing that the activity was not aimed at addressing the people’s concerns over peace, employment, education or development.
He alleged that the provincial government’s protests were primarily intended to keep its workers engaged while shifting public attention away from the province’s core problems.
According to Hussain, the political focus of those governing the province was centred on power and Islamabad rather than the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
ANP Leader claimed that one political party was using the province as political “fuel”, while another was compromising on the province’s rights and resources at the federal level.
Hussain further added the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were bearing the greatest cost of the current political situation. He pointed to terrorism, insecurity, unemployment, inflation and shortages of basic services, saying these challenges had made life increasingly difficult for residents.
He alleged that the government’s priorities remained focused on political confrontation while people across the province continued to demand peace, jobs and basic facilities.
The ANP provincial president said no one would be allowed to compromise on the province’s resources, authority and future.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is neither a ladder to anyone’s political power nor should it be used as fuel for politics in Islamabad,” he said.
Hussain maintained that the solution to the province’s problems lay in ensuring political, economic and constitutional rights for its people.
He added that the ANP would not compromise on peace, autonomy, resources and the national identity of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would continue to raise its voice against what it described as undemocratic and unconstitutional measures.
