Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi asked PTI supporters on Sunday to “be ready” in case a call was made for a protest, adding that “we will together seize [our] Haqiqi Azadi (true freedom)” from the country’s current rulers.

Afridi’s intimation came during a PTI rally in Kohat, where he reminded the crowd that incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, had delivered the message from jail of “freedom or death”.

“So if we go this time around, we will either return in shrouds or after getting freedom,” he said, adding that Imran had given the responsibility of making decisions — be it about talks with the government or protests — to Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.*

The two leaders are part of the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) along with the PTI, which has also nominated them as the opposition leaders in the National Assembly and Senate.

“For my part,” Afridi said, “I met them and assured them of any kind of support.”

He added, “So whenever a call comes from them, you have to be ready. And we will together seize Haqiqi Azadi from them (country’s current rulers).”

The CM claimed that “all institutions and the government want to eliminate the PTI”.

Even the judiciary did not heed PTI’s grievances, he said.

Without naming anyone, the CM further stated: “Those supposed to protect us turn into out killers, and those raised to protect our mandate, stole it. Tell me then, what solution do we have?”

He said Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz had been issuing advice to him lately but she should focus on her province instead.

“I will listen to them now?” he remarked, adding that “our leader is Imran, and we will listen to only him. There will be only Imran’s policy and rule here”.

He said Maryam should focus on her province, where, according to a recent survey, police had turned out to be the most corrupt department in the country.

CM Afridi also urged the people to report corruption cases to authorities and his government in KP would take action on the complaints. He also asked the divisional and district administrations to keep their doors open and listen to public issues.

Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs, and Human Rights Aftab Alam Afridi lamented that Imran’s family and CM Afridi were not allowed to meet the incarcerated party chief.

He also condemned Imran being called a “security threat” to the country, saying, “Yes, Khan was a threat, but only to those who had owned business empires in this country.”

Referring to today’s rally, he said these were just “warm-up matches”.

“And this time, when we leave, we will not come back empty handed,” he said, seemingly implying the possibility of a protest.

Speaking to the participants of the rally, PTI’s provincial president and MNA Junaid Akbar said the workers of the party “could never be threatened with police cases or press conferences.”

He also said that the party and its workers were ready to protect CM Afridi’s government.

“If someone tries to impose governor’s rule in KP, you must reach and lay siege to the governor’s house. We protected our vote, and we will protect our government, too,” he said.

He also said that the PTI was did not expect that “bullets, purchased from funds meant for development”, would be fired on its protesters on November 26, 2024.

“But I assure you, this time, we will come to face bullets.”

Akbar also mentioned that Achakzai would make decision regarding any dialogue or call for a protest.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Shafi Jan warned that if CM Afridi was removed, powers that be would not be able to control the masses.

Meanwhile, MNA Shehryar Afridi said that the PTI will take Imran’s case to every corner of the country.

“No power on earth could challenge Pakistan if the country were united,” he said, adding, “Imran Khan is a matter of pride for us.”