Peshawar, December 9,2024: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has once again announced a prayer ceremony for martyrs at D-Chowk, Minar-e-Pakistan, on December 25, while challenging the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold their rally on the same day. The government claimed their gathering would surpass PML-N’s and prove public support for Imran Khan.
The announcement was made by Special Assistant to the Chief Minister, Suhail Afridi, during the KP Assembly session. He criticized the events of November 26, where unarmed protesters were reportedly fired upon, stating, “Ethical values have eroded, and some people are so indebted to others’ favors that they cannot stand for the truth.”
Afridi added that the PTI protest at D-Chowk was a constitutional and legal right to demand justice, emphasizing that the party had been knocking on legal doors for two and a half years without success. “Had Imran Khan not been unjustly imprisoned, we would not have needed to march to Islamabad,” he said.
He also highlighted the PTI’s continued resistance, saying, “No movement has persisted as long as PTI’s struggle. Our political leadership remains unjustly imprisoned.”
Afridi announced a prayer ceremony for martyrs at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan on December 25, inviting the opposition to hold their rally in Punjab on the same day. “If we fail to gather more people than you, I will resign,” he declared.
He further noted the historical resilience of Pashtuns, stating, “Pashtuns have always stood against oppression. We have never been subjugated, and those who put prices on Pashtun heads will not lecture us today.”
