Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sunday urged Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to drop the proposed Islamabad march, warning that the province’s security situation is getting worse. “We are picking up bodies every day,” he said.
Speaking to the media in Peshawar about the PTI’s planned protest and the law and order situation, Kundi said the march would achieve nothing. “Marching on Islamabad in such circumstances is not appropriate. The outcome of the Islamabad march will be zero,” he said.
Kundi Expects Another Date Change
The governor suggested the march date could shift again, calling it a case of “a date after a date.” He declined to say whether Afridi himself would lead the march. “Whether Sohail Afridi is going or someone else is coming, only the party spokespersons can tell,” he said.
Kundi also said talk of imposing governor’s rule has come up several times over the past two years. Maintaining law and order, he said, is the responsibility of both the federal and provincial governments, and all stakeholders must work together to bring peace back to the province.
“If we all sit together and work, peace can be established in the province,” he said. He noted that the army, civilians and security institutions have all come under attack, adding that there is no resolution while such attacks continue.
Governor Accuses Afghanistan
Kundi accused Afghanistan of facilitating terrorists, though he did not offer further details.
He said he had invited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Peshawar after meeting him, in the interest of the province. “I told the prime minister to convene a cabinet meeting and an Apex Committee meeting in Peshawar regarding the law and order situation,” he said.
The governor also said he would accept any resignation sent to him. “If someone’s resignation comes, I will accept it,” he said.
PTI Long March Now Set for October 4
Earlier, Sohail Afridi announced that the PTI long march would leave Peshawar on October 4. He said the party’s political committee had unanimously decided to postpone the march that was planned for September 27, and had approved a revised schedule.
“Our long march will depart from Peshawar on October 4,” Afridi said at a press conference in Peshawar.
He said the party’s struggle is aimed at restoring the Constitution, and alleged that the government was not respecting constitutional and legal provisions.
