Alia Bhatt backs Delhi student protest, says, “The future is theirs”

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said the country’s current political system has lost the confidence of the public and requires a complete reset to restore democratic credibility. Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, Barrister Gohar said that instead of forming more governments under the existing circumstances, the leadership should return to the people and seek a fresh public mandate. He claimed that a key coalition partner had publicly described the prime minister as the beneficiary of a rigged election. According to Gohar, such a statement should have prompted the prime minister to immediately seek a vote of confidence in the National Assembly. The PTI chairman argued that the prime minister failed to obtain a vote of confidence and had therefore lost the moral legitimacy to continue in office. He added that the prime minister’s silence on the issue reflected a loss of political support and public confidence. Barrister Gohar further alleged that the government’s administrative structure had effectively collapsed. He claimed the government had lost its constitutional, legal and democratic standing, making the continuation of the current system increasingly difficult. He said the time had come for the existing political system to come to an end, adding that the Constitution provides a legal mechanism for moving a vote of no confidence. He said PTI would consult its allies before deciding its future course of action. The PTI chairman also said he believed the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had emerged from a disputed electoral process. Calling for a political solution, Barrister Gohar urged all stakeholders to develop a national consensus to resolve the country’s ongoing political crisis. He stressed that Parliament should seriously address the public demands coming from all provinces.

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has launched a province-wide street mobilisation campaign from Khyber district ahead of the September 27 long march. Addressing a rally in Khyber, Afridi said the campaign had formally begun from the historic Bab-e-Khyber and would continue across the country before culminating in Islamabad. The movement has been given the name “Long March Bil-Qist — A Long March for Justice.” According to the chief minister, its stated objectives include seeking the release of PTI founder Imran Khan through constitutional and peaceful means, demanding equal application of the law and calling for accountability for those responsible for alleged injustice and oppression. Afridi urged young people across Pakistan to participate in the September 27 march, saying the youth had an important role in determining the country’s political future. He said the mobilisation launched in Khyber would gradually be expanded to other parts of the country and continue until the movement achieved its declared objectives. The chief minister praised residents of Khyber for their participation in the campaign. He said rally participants had travelled around 30 kilometres while demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment to the movement. Afridi claimed that preparations were under way to mobilise two million people for the September 27 march. He said more than 100,000 participants from Khyber district alone were expected to join the Islamabad-bound movement. He also claimed that membership of the campaign seeking Imran Khan’s release had reached 520,000, with Punjab currently having the largest number of members. The chief minister expressed confidence that large numbers of people from different parts of Pakistan would participate in the march. Speaking about the role of young people, Afridi said frustration with the existing political and governance system was growing among the younger generation. He called on the youth to remain determined despite political and other challenges. He argued that if young people demonstrated their strength and determination collectively, the movement could become a major political force. Afridi also criticised those he accused of contributing to Imran Khan’s imprisonment, weakening democratic institutions and affecting the country’s governance system. He maintained that the movement would remain peaceful and constitutional while pursuing its political demands. The chief minister described September 27 as a potentially significant day for Pakistan, saying participants would seek to influence the country’s political direction and play a role in determining its future.