Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Minister for Information, Science and Information Technology Shafi Jan has said more than 20 lakh people will participate in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned long march, warning that any attempt to impose governor’s rule in the province would be met with a siege of the Governor’s House.
“Our political strategy is to delay it by a week. You will see that there will be more than 20 lakh people,” Jan said while addressing a press conference.
He also warned that the provincial government and its supporters will respond if governor’s rule was imposed in KP.
Jan’s remarks came amid continuing political tensions between the federal and provincial governments over security and governance in KP, with the possibility of governor’s rule remaining part of the political debate.
The minister criticised federal ministers for repeatedly linking terrorism to the provincial government, saying militancy should not be used for political point-scoring.
“Terrorism is a national issue and requires a serious and joint strategy for its elimination,” Jan said, adding that the KP government was ready to sit with all stakeholders to formulate a comprehensive strategy against terrorism.
Jan also questioned the use of law and order as a justification for imposing governor’s rule, saying the security situation in Balochistan should also be examined if that argument was being made.
“If law and order is being cited as a justification for imposing Governor’s Rule, then the situation in Balochistan should also be examined,” he said, adding that any such move in KP would trigger a public response.
