CM Sohail Afridi vows to continue peaceful struggle for ‘Haqiqi Azadi’

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said that his government and supporters believe in peaceful political struggle and will continue to exercise their constitutional right to peaceful protest.

Speaking to the media, Afridi said that a 126-day sit-in had been held without damaging even a flowerpot, while a street movement from Khyber to Karachi had also remained peaceful.

He alleged that violence was used against protesters and that electricity supplies were cut and vehicles damaged at locations where they had staged their protests. Despite these incidents, he said, the protesters remained peaceful.

Afridi said the seven points included in his draft were constitutional and lawful, adding that while the authorities could choose whether or not to implement them, no individual or institution could place itself above the Constitution and the law.

He maintained that the Constitution and law guaranteed citizens the right to peaceful protest and said that the struggle for what he described as “true freedom” in Pakistan would continue.

Referring to PTI founder Imran Khan, Afridi said Khan was fighting for the freedom and rights of the people and had no personal need for power, office or material gain.

According to Afridi, Khan had been blessed with everything by Allah and was pursuing the struggle for the people of Pakistan.

The chief minister urged people to support Khan and participate in the political struggle. He also criticised the judiciary, saying that, in his view, the courts had been rendered powerless following the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments.

Afridi said that despite the situation, Khan had neither bowed down nor entered into a deal because he believed Pakistan’s youth would come forward and support him.

Addressing the youth, the chief minister called for a peaceful struggle for what he termed “true freedom,” the supremacy of the Constitution and law, and the restoration of an independent judiciary and free media.

“Come forward—for yourselves, for your children, and for Pakistan,” Afridi said.

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