Real Freedom Struggle Will Continue with Imran Khan: CM Afridi.
PROVINCE REPORT
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi, while addressing Long March participants at Jail Chowk in Karak, paid tribute to the people of Karak and the wider southern region for the warm reception accorded to the long march. He said that the people should understand that the terrorism imposed on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the result of a deliberate and well-conceived plan. “Once again, Pashtun blood is being shed. People are being displaced, businesses are being destroyed, military operations and drone strikes are taking place, and innocent civilians, police personnel and soldiers are losing their lives,” he said. Referring to criticism levelled against him on television, the Chief Minister said, “A representative of the establishment had labelled him on national television “immature” for standing with his people. “If standing with my people is considered immaturity, then I will continue to do so without hesitation. If loving my country is considered immaturity, I will embrace that charge again and again,” he said. He said that misguided policies were deepening divisions within the country. Referring to the federal government, he maintained that corruption amounting to Rs 5.3 trillion had taken place under its watch and reported by IMF. “If this is what is being presented as wisdom and patriotism, then I reject such wisdom,” he said. The Chief Minister clarified that those imposed on the country were pursuing policies that were driving the country towards division and fuelling prejudice among its people. He said that the situation was now slipping beyond their control, adding that even the resettled terrorists were no longer under their control. He said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government was being pressured to become complicit in policies it did not support. “I am Imran Khan’s player. I have said ‘Absolutely Not’ to the powerful, and I will continue to stand by that position,” Sohail Afridi said. He alleged that a mindset imposed on the country was treating Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a stepchild and attempting to compound one flawed policy with another in an effort to isolate the province. Referring to decisions taken behind closed doors, the Chief Minister clarified that a political party had been imposed on the country whose Chief Minister had stated that she faced no threat from India but regarded the other three provinces as a threat. “As long as we are alive, and as long as our generations are alive, we will never allow this to happen,” he said. Sohail Afridi said that those who plunder public resources could not claim to be sincere with the country. He said that Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi was the only leader who commanded a nationwide following. “Imran Khan is the heartbeat of our people, and 90 percent of the people want him,” he said. The Chief Minister said that Imran Khan was the only leader capable of steering the country out of its present crisis and restoring the dignity, credibility and standing of its institutions. He also paid tribute to the soldiers who sacrifice their lives in the service of Pakistan, saying their sacrifices are an integral part of the nation’s collective struggle and existence. The Chief Minister said he was witnessing growing public rejection of the existing system across the country, with people from Khyber to Karachi seeking to reach Islamabad. He maintained that the government would have to address their democratic demands and that national policies must be guided by the public interest. He said his government would resist any policy that runs contrary to the interests of the people. The Chief Minister said that Imran Khan was enduring imprisonment with courage and resolve and had refused to compromise his position for the sake of power. Had he been motivated by a desire to return to office, he could have secured his release by signing a document, he said, adding that Imran Khan had instead chosen to remain steadfast. Sohail Afridi said the struggle for “real freedom” would continue alongside Imran Khan. He added that Imran Khan and his entire family were making sacrifices for the future of the people and generations to come. Referring to the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the Chief Minister alleged that the courts now await instructions before taking decisions, while Imran Khan continues to await his people. “The choice is yours: whether to accept subjugation or stand for real freedom; whether to bow before the powerful or stand up for your rights,” he said. The Chief Minister called upon people from across Pakistan to make their way to Swabi, where, he said, the next phase of the movement would be announced. Following his visit to Karak, Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi arrived in Lachi Tehsil of Kohat, where he addressed Long March participants and paid tribute to the people of Kohat for their enthusiastic reception. He said that the people of Kohat would demonstrate their strength in full measure the following day and announced that the march towards Peshawar would set off from University Chowk at 3:00 PM. “I am a soldier of Imran Khan. The combined strength of the entire world cannot put a price on me, nor can it intimidate me,” the Chief Minister said. Urging participants to conserve their energy, Sohail Afridi said that the struggle was a long one and required endurance and sustained mobilisation. “We must not exhaust ourselves. Our struggle is a long one. From 8 October, the T20 match begins,” he said. He called upon the people of Kohat to turn out in overwhelming numbers, saying that the district should not allow any other district to outpace it in participation. “The message must go out clearly: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belongs to Imran Khan, has belonged to Imran Khan, and will remain with Imran Khan,” the Chief Minister said.
