PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shaukat Yousafzai has warned that the party’s planned October 4 march could turn violent and suggested that the protest should be postponed.
While talking to ARY News, Yousafzai said there should at least be consultation within the party before proceeding with the long march.
“The march could become bloody. If it cannot be postponed, then at least there should be consultation,” he said.
Yousafzai also claimed that a “dangerous narrative” was being developed against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. He said there was no need to dissolve the provincial assembly, arguing that doing so would benefit the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
“We do not need to dissolve the assembly. Why should we benefit the PML-N when their government is already falling?” he said.
The PTI leader said he had previously written to his party regarding the situation and urged party leaders to reconsider the plan for the long march.
“I have requested the party leadership to consult on the long march, but our preparations are complete and people will come out,” he said.
Yousafzai also said that any decision to replace Sohail Afridi with Ali Amin Gandapur as chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could only be made by PTI founder Imran Khan.
“Only Imran Khan can decide whether Ali Amin should be made chief minister again. No one else can make that decision,” he said.
Addressing the issue of terrorism, Yousafzai said all political parties would have to sit together to find a way to eliminate terrorism.
PTI Parliamentary Party Meeting Ends in Peshawar, Long March Preparations Ordered
Earlier, the parliamentary party meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Peshawar has concluded, with preparations for the party’s planned long march reviewed and members directed to continue their arrangements.
The meeting was chaired by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, who instructed all members of the National and Provincial Assemblies to keep preparations for the long march underway.
According to sources, the chief minister said the long march would not be postponed under any circumstances.
The meeting decided that participants would initially gather at Swabi, where they would set up camp before deciding on the next course of action.
Sources said ministers were also directed to reach Swabi. The meeting discussed potential transportation and other logistical challenges, with the chief minister instructing members to address these issues.
The meeting also discussed the alleged arrests of party lawmakers and other related matters.
According to sources, the chief minister said that the party’s demands were “very simple and straightforward.”
The participants decided that after the gathering in Swabi, the next phase and course of action would be determined.
