HARIPUR/ABBOTTABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mohammad Sohail Afridi has said that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has launched preparations for the street movement on the directives of jailed leader Imran Khan and will continue to struggle for restoration of ‘real democracy, free judiciary and press, supremacy of law and Constitution’ in the country.

This he said while speaking to party workers, who had gathered to welcome him and other leaders in Kangra and Chowk Siddiq-i-Akbar as part of the street movement that the PTI has decided to kick start from Haripur on Saturday.

He was received at Hattar Interchange and taken in a motorcade to Haripur, and on his way to the city the party workers, who were carrying PTI flags, welcomed him at different places.

PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, party’s provincial president Junaid Akbar, Ali Asghar Khan, Omar Ayub Khan, provincial minister Arshad Ayub Khan, MPAs Malik Adeel Iqbal and Akbar Ayub Khan were also among the leaders, who received the CM in Haripur.

Addresses rallies during visit to Haripur, Abbottabad

During his brief address to the participants of the rally in Kangra and Chowk Siddiq-i-Akbar while on his way to Abbottabad and Mansehra, the chief minister said that preparations for the street movement were being carried out across the country and the way people responded to PTI’s call for street movement had proved that the they were supporting Imran Khan and his party. “We would take this movement to the climax,” he insisted.

He acknowledged in his short speech that the people of Haripur stood firm with Imran Khan, which they once again proved by welcoming him, but ironically, he claimed the mandate of people of Haripur was stolen once again. He referred to the by-election when former opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan’s wife Shehrnaz Omar Ayub, the party’s nominee for the by-poll held on November 23, 2025, lost to PML-N’s Babar Nawaz.

Meanwhile, addressing street movement rallies at Fawara Chowk, Havelian, and Qalandarabad in Abbottabad, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi praised the enthusiasm of party workers and said that the people of Abbottabad had once again won hearts through their unwavering support.

He assured the public that justice would be ensured to the family of Dr Warda, and pledged that the matter would be handled transparently and fairly.

Mr Afridi said that despite claims by opponents that Imran Khan was politically finished, his popularity was increasing across every street and village.

Party’s lawmakers, members of the Insaf Lawyers Forum, PTI’s justice, youth, and women wings, and a large number of workers were present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Havelian tehsil chairman Uzair Sher Khan stopped the chief minister outside his office to protest against the non-distribution of development funds for Havelian.

Upon being stopped, the chief minister got out of his vehicle, listened to the grievances raised by the tehsil chairman, and assured him that the issue would be resolved on a priority basis.

Addressing the chief minister in the presence of hundreds of supporters, the tehsil chairman highlighted the longstanding deprivation of Havelian due to the continued withholding of development funds.

Uzair Sher stated that his martyred brother, Atif Munsif Khan, had won the tehsil Havelian seat and dedicated it to PTI. He recalled that former chief minister Mahmood Khan had promised Atif Munsif the release of development funds for the tehsil. However, despite Munsif’s key role in strengthening PTI in the area, the promised funds were never released.

Following the protest, Chief Minister Afridi invited Uzair Sher to his office for further discussion and reiterated his commitment to addressing the matter.

Meanwhile, due to the closure of the road from Fawara Chowk for nearly four hours prior to the chief minister’s arrival, long queues of vehicles were witnessed. Traffic was diverted towards the market, causing severe congestion and traffic jams. Citizens faced significant inconvenience, while ambulances and emergency vehicles also remained stuck, triggering public frustration.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2026