On Friday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) organized processions and rallies throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the immediate release of party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, his wife, and other detained activists, while condemning the charges against them as “false.”
The protests, held at the provincial assembly level, featured speeches from local PTI lawmakers and leaders.
In Peshawar, rallies took place across all 13 provincial assembly constituencies, with a major gathering led by Provincial Higher Education Minister Meena Khan Afridi in the Namak Mandi area. The minister denounced the imprisonment of Imran, his wife Bushra Bibi, PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, and other leaders as unlawful.
Afridi criticized the federal government for failing to maintain law and order, leading to widespread chaos, and highlighted issues such as record inflation, high electricity bills, and soaring prices for petroleum and essential goods.
He accused the federal government of lacking solutions to these problems and claimed it came to power illegitimately by manipulating election results. “The people voted for PTI in the February elections, but the PML-N and its allies unlawfully seized power,” Afridi said, asserting that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government was imposed through election result manipulations.
Afridi also demanded protection for PTI leader Murad Saeed, who has gone into hiding since the violent protests on May 9. He emphasized that the PTI’s nationwide protests reflect public distrust in the federal government and claimed that only PTI could address inflation and law and order issues.
PTI Peshawar President MNA Sher Ali Arbab led a vehicular procession in Gulshanabad, where participants displayed party flags and Imran’s pictures, calling for the immediate release of party leaders.
In Bajaur tribal district, PTI rallies took place in Raghagan Bazaar, Sadiqabadabad town of Khar tehsil, and Memola area in Barang tehsil, led by MPA Anwarzeb Khan, former MNA Guldad Khan, and MPA Ajmal Khan’s son Imad Khan, respectively. Protesters held party flags and chanted slogans against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government over the detention of Imran and Bushra Bibi, accusing them of being targeted in “false” cases.
The speakers condemned the heavy taxes imposed by the government, attributing them to pressure from the International Monetary Fund for loans, and criticized the government’s failure to address inflation and other public hardships.
In Charsadda district, Provincial Labour Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan and MPAs Arshed Umerai and Iftikhar Khan led a protest at Farooq Azam Chowk, drawing large crowds of PTI activists and supporters.
In Topi area of Swabi district, PTI central leader and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser addressed a rally, urging the government to release Imran and his wife, provide relief from inflation, and improve law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also claimed that PTI’s strong opposition in parliament forced the government to withdraw proposed military operations.
