'Not your way, not my way': Gohar urges middle path as PTI long march enters fifth day

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan called for renewed political dialogue, saying the party remained willing to pursue a “middle way” to prevent further instability and safeguard the democratic system, as the long march led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi entered its fifth day and continued towards Islamabad despite government warnings.

“We sat down for negotiations with complete honesty, sincerity and good faith, without any conditions. We did not want to sit in negotiations in such a situation, when we had not met our leader, but we made the effort to sit down. Something is better than nothing. Not your way, not my way, but a middle way. Should move forward somehow, whatever happened, for the sake of the country, the nation and democracy,” said Gohar during a press conference in Charsadda.

He regretted that the talks had ended abruptly after two days and said there was still time for both the government and opposition to reconsider their positions.

“We remained seated for two days, but abruptly everything ended. It should not have ended. There is still time. Reality is that both the government and opposition vehicles are stuck in the mud. How do we get this vehicle out of the mud and bring it onto the motorway? We are also calling out; they are also calling out, ‘Let us come onto the motorway,” he added.

Gohar said the only way to prevent the system from being derailed was to set aside egos and allow “common sense” to prevail.

He also called for an end to enforced disappearances and raised concern over the imprisonment of Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and members of the former prime minister’s family.

Referring to reports about Bushra Bibi’s health, Gohar said: “Last night, reports emerged that Bushra Bibi was unwell. We are all very concerned. I have asked that we be informed about her condition. So far, we do not know how she is.” 

He urged authorities with information about her health to immediately inform the party.

Turning to speculation over governor’s rule or an emergency in K-P, Gohar said such measures were not a solution to the province’s political and security challenges.

He argued that imposing governor’s rule or an emergency would increase anger, alienation and political tensions among people in the province, which was already facing a serious law-and-order and terrorism challenge.

Gohar said PTI had made preparations to respond politically and legally to any “unforeseen circumstances”, while insisting that the party wanted all sides to avoid unconstitutional measures.

He also questioned the constitutional scope of the K-P governor’s role, arguing that after the 18th Amendment the governor largely performed a ceremonial function and that executive authority rested with the chief minister.

“The governor does not have the authority to issue directions on the law-and-order situation,” Gohar said, adding that all institutions should function within constitutional and legal boundaries.

Gohar strongly rejected suggestions that PTI, its workers or its provincial government had ever supported terrorism.

“I strongly reject the claim that PTI, the party, its workers, supporters or chief minister have ever supported terrorism,” he said.

He called for the implementation of the National Action Plan and urged the government and opposition to develop a single national narrative against terrorism rather than use the issue for political point-scoring.

“If terrorism takes place in K-P, Balochistan or Sindh, it is Pakistan’s terrorism problem. If anyone dies or is martyred, they are ours,” Gohar said.

He criticised government figures who, he said, had compared PTI supporters coming to Islamabad with terrorists, arguing that such rhetoric was inappropriate for political office-holders.

Gohar said counterterrorism policy should be coordinated nationally and discussed through apex committees and broader political consultations.

“If there is terrorism, take action against it. Wherever it is coming from, call meetings and take steps to eliminate it,” he said.

He also called for an all-parties conference involving political parties across the spectrum so that a common position could be developed against terrorism.

“When all political parties and people are with you, there will be one narrative against terrorism. When you take action, no one will oppose it; everyone will support it,” he said.

The PTI chairman also welcomed opposition by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jamaat-e-Islami and Awami National Party leaders to the possible imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency in K-P.

Gohar said he hoped the JUI-F chief could play a constructive role in breaking the political deadlock.

“The situation is not moving towards improvement. If people do not move away from their rigid positions and these serious matters continue, the ending will not be good,” he said.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman had also offered to play a role and added that all political parties — whether in government, opposition or outside electoral politics — had a stake in democracy, an independent judiciary, free elections and justice.

Meanwhile, PTI has revised the plan for its long march and issued the schedule for the next phase.

According to PTI K-P Secretary General Ali Asghar Khan, CM Afridi would lead the long march in each district as the "convoy is scheduled to arrive in Peshawar from Khyber tonight."

"PTI said the march will reach Charsadda on October 9, Mardan on October 10 and Swabi on October 11, and the party will decide its next course of action after reaching Swabi," he added.

The march began from Lakki Marwat on October 4 after talks between the PTI and the federal government failed to resolve their differences. The protest had initially been scheduled for September 27 but was postponed to October 4 as the two sides attempted to negotiate. The talks ultimately broke down, with counter-terrorism policy and meetings with party founder Imran Khan emerging as the main points of disagreement between the federal and opposition.