KP Governor Challenges PTI to Cross Swabi, Calls It a ‘Pul-e-Sirat

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has challenged the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership to cross Swabi, calling the district a “Pul-e-Sirat” for the party’s planned long march and claiming that its leaders are now “shaking with fear.”

Speaking during a Geo News programme, Kundi said, “I challenge them to pass through Swabi and show me.” He claimed that despite the ongoing terrorism situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government was staging a “circus.”

The governor said he had summoned the Inspector General of Police and Chief Secretary because terrorism was taking place in the province. He added that the KP government could approach the courts against him immediately if it believed he had violated the Constitution.

“If I have violated the Constitution, let the court decide. The truth will become clear,” Kundi said.

He further claimed that he feared the PTI leadership might leave through Khyber towards Afghanistan rather than head towards Swabi. “Swabi is a Pul-e-Sirat for them. I challenge them to cross Swabi,” he said.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry claimed that the decision to hold the long march was not made by PTI founder Imran Khan but by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi himself.

Speaking on Hum News, Chaudhry said that meeting Imran Khan was not the main issue and claimed that meetings between Khan and his sisters had been facilitated before the planned September 27 long march.

According to the minister, some of these meetings took place publicly while others were held away from the media. He said matters had been returning to normal, but the decision to launch the long march changed the situation.

Chaudhry argued that although the march was being presented as a PTI protest, its leadership was effectively being handled by the KP government and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

“If it is a PTI march, then Junaid Akbar should be leading it,” the minister said.