PTI Prepares ‘Jihadi’ Squad for November 24 Protest, Government Steps Up Security Measures

Peshawar: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has formed a special “jihadi” squad ahead of its planned protest on November 24. According to sources, the squad, consisting of 9,000 workers from the PTI Youth Wing, will play a central role in the protest. The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during a meeting, referred to this unit as a “jihadi” force.
The squad will include 250 workers from each district, with prominent figures such as Mehmood Khan and Special Assistant Sohail Afridi leading the group. The squad will be positioned at the front lines of the PTI’s main protest convoy and will directly engage with any shelling by security forces. Protective gear to guard against shelling has already been provided to the members.
Sohail Afridi emphasized that the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would actively participate in this “jihad,” stating, “In this jihad, we will either achieve martyrdom or return as victors. Peaceful resistance against oppression is jihad, and we will stand firm in the protest without fear for our lives.”
If negotiations succeed, PTI has stated that the protest in Islamabad will transform into a celebration. PTI has called for the return of the 26th Amendment, the release of detained party workers, and the restoration of electoral mandates.
Meanwhile, the government has begun preparations to counter PTI’s protest and potential sit-ins. Security measures in the federal capital have been tightened in anticipation of the protest.
PTI has also confirmed that their convoys will start leaving for Islamabad on Friday. However, the party has stated that if talks are successful, the protest will turn into a celebration, as they will have achieved their three primary demands.
In a separate development, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to deploy Rescue 1122 ambulances to accompany PTI’s protest convoys. Provincial Minister for Higher Education, Meena Khan, confirmed that vehicles would be sent along with the protestors, and in case of need, private vehicles will also be hired.
Earlier, on November 13, PTI’s founder, Imran Khan, had announced the final call for the protest on November 24, stating that the protests would continue until their demands were met. Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, had also confirmed the protest date, urging the nation to decide if they wanted to live in freedom or under oppression.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, has assured that all preparations for the protest are in place, adding that there will be no turning back until PTI’s demands are fulfilled. He has also hinted at the possibility of more intense protests, claiming that this final call could be the “final nail in the coffin” for the current government.
On November 9, Gandapur had told a rally in Swabi that if Imran Khan called for a protest, PTI supporters would march with “kafans (shrouds)” and not return without securing their demands.
In a brief speech on November 15, Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, instructed PTI members to bring at least 10,000 workers from their constituencies to the protest. She warned of action against those who did not participate.