PTI Launches ‘Imran Khan Release Peace Movement’ Membership Drive in KPK

By Sardar Burhan :

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has launched a membership campaign for the ‘Imran Khan Release Peace Movement’, announcing that the initiative will initially cover the province before expanding to other parts of the country.

Speaking at a gathering at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial secretariat in Peshawar on Friday, Mr Afridi said 172 registration camps would be set up across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to mobilise supporters.

The event was attended by senior party leaders including PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, KP President Junaib Akbar, Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh and Balochistan President Daud Shah Kakar.

Mr Afridi said the party also plans to hold a national lawyers’ jirga at Nishtar Hall in Peshawar on 10 April. Similar gatherings involving farmers, labourers and other sections of society are expected to follow in an effort to broaden the movement’s outreach and increase public engagement.

The chief minister alleged that PTI founder Imran Khan and his spouse were being held in jail unlawfully and said their cases had not been heard for more than a year. He claimed the situation raised serious concerns about the country’s justice system and rule of law.

Mr Afridi further argued that Mr Khan had been removed from power despite what he described as a nationwide mandate, alleging that the former prime minister was subsequently imprisoned in politically motivated cases.

According to the chief minister, attempts to secure a meeting with Mr Khan through constitutional and legal channels had failed. He said letters were sent to the federal government, the National Assembly speaker and the superior courts, but no facilitation was provided.

Mr Afridi added that he had approached Adiala Jail to meet Mr Khan in his capacity as the elected representative of approximately 45 million people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but claimed the request was not granted.

He also criticised what he described as restrictions on political activity, including the arrest of party workers and limitations on the movement of elected representatives. However, he stressed that PTI would pursue efforts for Mr Khan’s release through peaceful and constitutional means.

“The Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest, and our struggle will remain within legal and democratic boundaries,” he said.

Mr Afridi also accused authorities of applying double standards, claiming that while privileges were extended to some political figures, access to Adiala Jail had been denied to him as a provincial chief minister.

Expressing concern over what he called the erosion of civil liberties, the chief minister urged PTI supporters to prepare for a disciplined and peaceful campaign, saying the issue went beyond electoral politics and concerned the country’s democratic future.

He also criticised the arrest of PTI leader Alia Hamza Malik, describing it as politically motivated.

Meanwhile, PTI’s provincial deputy information secretary Ikram Khattana said registration camps for the campaign would be set up at district and tehsil levels across the province.

“Our struggle will continue until Imran Khan is released,” Mr Khattana said, adding that the party believed it had the constitutional right to protest peacefully against what it described as the illegal detention of its leader.

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