• Former NA speaker Asad Qaiser says party will proceed as planned
• Emergency or governor’s rule could benefit ‘non-democratic powers’, warns Barrister Gohar
CHARSADDA: The PTI leadership on Wednesday reiterated that the party would not postpone its protest march scheduled for October 4, warning the government that imposing emergency or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would not resolve the issue.
Talking to reporters at the Sheikhabad residence of MNA Fazal Mohammad Khan, who was allegedly abducted by unidentified individuals on Sept 22, former National Assembly speaker and senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser said there was no possibility of postponing the march and that the party would proceed with its planned programme on Oct 4.
He also alleged that PTI founder Imran Khan was being deprived of fundamental human rights, urging the federal government to set aside what he called personal interests and focus on the welfare of the country and aits people.
He questioned whether the treatment being meted out to elected representatives was consistent with the principles of respect for the vote.
On reports about the possibility of governor’s rule in KP, Mr Qaiser said that if such a step was taken, the PTI would challenge it through legal means and there would also be a public reaction. He said the government should avoid policies that could increase confrontation between the state and its citizens.
Separately, speaking to the media at Parliament House in Islamabad, interim PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said that imposing emergency or governor’s rule was not the solution to the protest march. He warned that non-democratic powers would benefit if emergency were imposed. He assured that the march would be peaceful.
He said it was unfortunate that the government and opposition were making claims but there were no meaningful negotiations.
Talking about the situation in KP, Asad Qaiser said an Apex Committee meeting should be convened to discuss what he described as serious law and order problems in the province. He called for implementation of the National Action Plan, saying that restoration of peace was essential for economic activity and employment opportunities.
The PTI leader accused the federal government of a ‘discriminatory’ attitude towards the province and urged it to end political differences with KP through constitutional means.
Mr Qaiser said the PTI wanted a system based on justice and the rule of law. He alleged that the political system was being pushed against the wall and warned that such a situation could have serious consequences. He said the state was expected to protect its citizens and questioned whether the country could progress amid the prevailing political circumstances.
The ex-NA speaker also commented on the remarks of PTI leader Shaukat Yousafzai, saying that party members should respect one another’s right to express their opinions within the organisation.
Asked about the letter, Barrister Gohar said it was Mr Yousafzai’s personal opinion, but he was still very much part of the party’s leadership.
Mr Yousafzai had written a letter to the party demanding that the march be postponed. Later, he broke down during a live TV show when he was asked about the trolling he had faced on social media and being called a traitor.
Ikram Junaidi in Islamabad also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2026
