CHARSADDA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers staged a demonstration at Farooq Azam Chowk here on Tuesday to protest the alleged abduction of provincial minister for public health engineering Fazal Shakoor Khan and demanded his immediate recovery.

The protesters also called for the release of political workers allegedly detained in connection with the party’s activities and announced that a large number of people would march towards Islamabad on Sept 27 to demand what they described as an end to “state oppression”, supremacy of the Constitution and law, and the establishment of a “genuine system” in the country.

Provincial minister Arif Ahmadzai, PTI Charsadda chapter head and MPA Arshad Umarzai, MNA Anwar Taj, MPA Khalid Khan, Azizullah Khan and Zakat committee chairman Muzammil Shah addressed the protesters.

The speakers alleged that Fazal Shakoor had been abducted despite the PTI government being in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They claimed that a report regarding his alleged abduction had been registered at Chamkani police station. They also expressed concern over reports regarding the alleged detention of MNA Fazal Mohammad Khan.

The PTI leaders condemned the registration of cases against provincial minister Shakil Khan and what they described as an attempt to take him into custody.

They demanded that Fazal Shakoor and Fazal Mohammad be brought before the public immediately.

If detained, they said, the two lawmakers should be produced before a court in accordance with the law.

The speakers alleged that cases and arrests of PTI leaders and workers were aimed at creating fear among party workers and disrupting the Sept 27 protest. They said the party would continue its political activities despite what they termed pressure from the authorities.

They expressed concern over inflation, unemployment, electricity outages and worsening law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and urged the government to take effective measures to address these issues.

The PTI leaders announced that a party caravan from Charsadda would travel through the GT Road to Islamabad on Sept 27 as part of the planned march seeking the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.

The speakers alleged that the federal government was “confused and under pressure” because of the PTI’s political activities and claimed that the party had already achieved success in its struggle. They also criticised what they described as a system in which “different laws apply to the powerful and the poor”.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2026