CHARSADDA: PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said here on Thursday that his party had never supported terrorism, adding that, however, the country’s counterterrorism policy needed to be reviewed in the light of changing circumstances.
Gohar was speaking to the media in Charsadda, which is expected to be the next stop of the PTI’s march after Peshawar.
The PTI chairperson visited the residences of KP Public Health Engineering Minister Fazal Shakoor and MNA Fazal Mohammad Khan, who the PTI alleges were abducted by unidentified men amid reports of detentions of its workers and members ahead of the march.
Gohar expressed concern over their disappearance and demanded their immediate and safe recovery.
Demands safe recovery of provincial minister, MNA
Speaking to the media at their residences, he noted that 18 days had passed since Shakoor’s alleged abduction and his family had no information about his whereabouts.
He urged the relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the matter and ensure that Shakoor and Khan were recovered and reunited with their families.
Gohar said the “enforced disappearances” were a matter of serious concern and stressed the need for rule of law and protection of citizens’ constitutional rights. If such incidents were taking place in KP, they could also occur in other provinces, he further warned.
He also rejected the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency as a solution to the prevailing situation in KP, as federal ministers continue to indicate the possible enforcement of either of the two, citing terrorism.
The warning of a possible emergency or governor’s rule had come ahead of the PTI’s protest march and as talks between the opposition party in the Centre and the federal government failed earlier this month.
For his part, Gohar said political issues should be resolved through constitutional and democratic means. He called upon the decision-makers to respect the public mandate and elected governments.
On the security situation, he asserted that the PTI, its workers and supporters had never supported terrorism. He said the party stood with the state in the fight against terrorism, but the country’s policy on the issue needed to be reviewed in light of changing circumstances.
“Terrorism, whether in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan or Sindh, is against Pakistan,” he said, adding that the loss of any Pakistani’s life in the fight against terrorism was a national loss. He called for the implementation of the National Action Plan through a unified national policy rather than politicising the issue.
Gohar also defended Mr Afridi, saying he had never issued a statement in support of terrorists. He criticised what he described as attempts by some federal ministers to portray PTI as a supporter of terrorism.
The PTI chairperson said his party was still ready for meaningful and positive dialogue with its political opponents and expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would play a constructive role in the prevailing situation. He thanked the JUI-F, Awami National Party and Jamaat-i-Islami for opposing the imposition of governor’s rule.
On the PTI’s long march, he said it would continue as per the decided schedule, with gatherings planned in Mardan on Oct 10 and Swabi on Oct 11, after which the future course of action would be decided by the party leadership.
He also criticised the imposition of Section 144 in parts of KP, saying elected representatives should be taken into confidence in matters concerning law and order.
He urged all political parties, whether in government or opposition, to play their role in strengthening democracy, an independent judiciary, free elections and the rule of law.
Gohar said the federal government and the opposition needed to set aside their differences and engage in sincere, unconditional dialogue to help the country overcome its political crisis.
Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2026
