K-P announces three-day mourning

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has announced three days of mourning over Islamabad tragedy.

An emergency session of the K-P Assembly was presided over by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati. The lawmakers prayed for the activists who lost their lives during the Islamabad protest and those who perished in the district Kurram violence.

Addressing the session, Minister for Law Aftab Alam said PTI held a peaceful protest from November 24 to November 27. "Our peaceful protest was attacked, and direct shots were fired at the province's chief executive. We announce three days of mourning in the province," said Aftab Alam.

Speaking at the session, the K-P Assembly speaker said that Article 16 of the Constitution mandates freedom of expression but the government and institutions infringed upon that right. PTI used its right to hold rally but the peaceful protest was suppressed. He warned that history seems to be repeating itself, referencing events that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Swati accused institutions of crossing all limits of brutality, resorting to firing and tear-gas shelling. He added: "Our workers are missing and their bodies are being covered up."

"No political power could escape from cruelty," said the speaker, asking "where the country is headed?"

He said attempts were made to kill the K-P CM and Bushra Bibi, wife of Imran Khan.