KHYBER: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf organised a protest meeting in Jamrud here on Friday against the imprisonment of the party’s founding chairman Imran Khan, and demanded his unconditional release and withdrawal of all cases against him.

PTI leaders Sher Afzal Marwat, former federal minister Allama Noorul Haq Qadri, MNA Iqbal Afridi, MPA Abdul Ghani Afridi and other local leaders addressed the public gathering, which was attended by a large number of party workers and supporters from different parts of Khyber.

The PTI leaders said that talks were going on with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and that a joint struggle would be launched for the ‘supremacy’ of the Constitution and securing the stolen mandate of the party if the parleys were successful.

They alleged that the former prime minister was jailed and implicated in forged cases and that the party’s mandate was also later stolen in the February 8 general elections.

Demand unconditional release of Imran from jail

They said that there was no rule of law and Constitution in the country with the Constitution repeatedly trampled under the feet by the current rulers, while Imran Khan was unlawfully kept in jail.

They warned of a march on Islamabad if Imran was not released unconditionally and all cases against him were not withdrawn.

They called for registration of FIRs against all the former leaders, who had plundered the Toshakhana gifts, including bulletproof vehicles.

They dispelled the rumours about any deal by their party chief with the powers that be, and said that they had received an offer of talks from PML-N through its leader Rana Sanaullah, but PTI won’t strike a deal with anyone.

They said even courts had ‘failed’ to provide the party with justice.

PRESS FREEDOM: Journalists in Khyber tribal district have called for provision of security and access to information while fulfilling their professional responsibilities.

They aired their demands while speaking at separate events held at the press clubs in all the three tehsils in connection with the World Press Freedom Day on Friday.

The speakers emphasised that a free and secure media could help ensure supremacy of law and the Constitution.

They said a free and independent media provided a forum to the common people to air their sentiments along with controlling crimes and ending corruption in government institutions.

The journalists conceded that genuine principals of journalism were also compromised in the name of tribal customs and traditions in the merged districts, while tribal journalists were under persistent pressure from the local stakeholders to conceal truths and facts.

They, however, said that observing the day was meant to work for promoting healthy journalism.

The speakers paid rich tributes to those who sacrificed their lives while performing their professional responsibilities in adverse circumstances.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2024