Urdu Report Desk
PTI’s long march moved from Peshawar towards Khyber on Wednesday as the party continued its campaign over its demands.
KP Information Minister Shafi Jan said the march was proceeding peacefully and would return to Peshawar after reaching Khyber. He said the march would continue until PTI’s demands were addressed.
PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said the party was ready to resume negotiations if the government showed seriousness about its demands, including medical treatment for Imran Khan under his personal doctor, an end to what PTI calls his unjust imprisonment, and the release of his sisters and other detained individuals.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s political adviser Rana Sanaullah said the government had again offered to resolve political issues through negotiations.
Rana Sanaullah also rejected reports of a new military operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying intelligence-based operations against militants would continue but no new operation was being launched and no new internally displaced persons were expected.
He said the government was already implementing a counterterrorism plan and criticised PTI’s interpretation of the recent deadlock in talks.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi criticised Governor Faisal Karim Kundi for holding a security meeting with the chief secretary and inspector general, calling it unconstitutional. Afridi also called for a change in the federal counterterrorism policy and claimed KP could achieve peace within 100 days under a new strategy.
Rana Sanaullah said five KP districts lacked police stations and 17,000 police positions were vacant. He also claimed the Counter-Terrorism Department had a total strength of 3,300, with only 25 personnel holding permanent positions.
On Afghanistan, Rana Sanaullah said Qatar, China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey had tried to convey Pakistan’s concerns to the Afghan Taliban, but they had not provided the assurances sought by Pakistan.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif separately criticised the KP government over its handling of terrorism, accusing it of focusing on the political march while the province faced security challenges.
