CM Afridi rejects smear campaign ahead of rally

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has strongly rejected negative propaganda aimed at undermining the proposed public meeting in Mardan on April 19, saying the people of the province will themselves foil such tactics. Speaking during a high-level meeting in Peshawar on Thursday, the Chief Minister said certain elements are trying to sabotage the Mardan rally and create political instability, but the provincial government and PTI remain steadfast on their policy and agenda. The meeting was attended by PTI parliamentarians from Peshawar, Malakand, Kohat regions and northern Punjab, along with delegations from Khyber district. The participants held detailed consultations on former Prime Minister Imran Khan's health, his release, the peace movement, the upcoming Mardan public meeting, overall political situation, governance issues, party organisational matters, and the future course of action. Addressing the participants, Chief Minister Afridi said Imran Khan's health is not a political matter but a question of his life that cannot be ignored under any circumstances. He expressed serious concern over the denial of access to Imran Khan's family members and personal physicians, terming it highly worrying. "The return of Imran Khan has now become inevitable in the larger interest of the country and the nation," Afridi said, adding that the party and government will continue every possible constitutional and democratic struggle to secure his release. Regarding the Mardan rally, the Chief Minister said that ever since the announcement of the public meeting, a smear campaign has been launched to make it fail. "However, the people will reject these dirty tactics with contempt," he asserted. He made it clear that any attempt to sabotage the gathering or create political instability would be strongly resisted, as both the government and the party are determined to move forward with their agenda. Afridi further stated that the propaganda of the opponents will be directly rejected by the public on April 19. He announced that a grand lawyers' jirga will be held on Friday, while jirgas of other segments of society will also be convened to evolve a joint strategy through wider consultation.