PESHAWAR: The PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter on Monday claimed that the party avoided staging protests following the proclamation of emergency and imposition of governor’s rule in the province in a bid to protect workers lives, as the party didn’t want them to come to harm.
“The protection of workers is our responsibility. Not giving a call for immediate protest does not mean withdrawal from the political struggle,” the party’s provincial general secretary, Ali Asghar Khan, said in a statement issued here.
He said that while peaceful protest was their right, its timing and nature should be decided under a joint strategy at the national level.
He expressed these views in light of the questions raised at different platforms after the imposition of governor’s rule and emergency in KP.
KP office-bearer says peaceful protest is their right, but its timing and nature should be decided under a joint national strategy
Mr Khan said that important questions and suggestions about the future political course of action emerged during consultations with provincial, regional and district organisations, Insaf Lawyers Forum, members of assembly and workers.
“I consider it necessary to inform the party workers about these matters so that they get clarification about the situation, the decisions made and the reasons behind these decisions,” he said.
The PTI leader said that during the consultation, preference was given to hold protest at an appropriate time and with a proper strategy rather than holding immediate protest.
The objective was to keep workers safe from further arrests and violence, and to protect them and the party from provocations or incidents that could be given a wrong colour and blamed on workers.
He said that in view of the protest in Bara, Khyber tribal district where several PTI workers were wounded due to firing by police, workers and members of assembly who contacted for holding protest, were advised to wait for party orders and avoid showing an immediate reaction.
In that situation, Mr Khan said, it was necessary to avoid unorganised and individual protests until the announcement of a formal programme.
He said that a peaceful and organised struggle at the national level was necessary. He said the PTI objectives were very clear which include release of former prime minister Imran Khan and all political prisoners, end of Governor’s Rule and Emergency, restoration of the elected provincial government, protection of constitutional rights and public mandate, protection of ownership rights and rightful share over natural resources and minerals of KP.
He said the central leadership was in contact with other political parties for joint constitutional and democratic objectives. In the light of this consultation, the provincial organisation was of the opinion that an all-party conference should be called as soon as possible.
In the conference, Mr Khan said, a joint stance and a consensus for political and constitutional line of action would be decided.
During this time, there is a need for legal and parliamentary measures, contacts with political parties, lawyers, professional organisations and civil society, and raising issues of constitutional and human rights on media and relevant international forums.
“The provincial organisation of KP believes that the central leadership should give clear political instructions about the future national line of action by the end of the first week of November 2026, in which priorities of political, legal, parliamentary and public activities should be set,” he said.
Provincial deputy secretary of information Ikram Khattana told Dawn that PTI workers were not armed in the protest rallies, but those stopping the protests had guns and they would have killed the party workers.
“We don’t want PTI workers to be harmed,” he said.
Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2026
