Gohar condemns MPA Afridi's arrest

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Thursday visited the residence of arrested MPA Abdul Salam Afridi in Mardan and met his family.

Strongly condemning the arrest, Barrister Gohar said the morale of PTI workers could not be broken through such actions. Speaking to the media, he declared that PTI founder Imran Khan remains the most popular leader among the people and cannot be erased from their hearts.

"Arrests of political workers are no solution to the problems. Such steps only escalate political tension," he said. "On the one hand the drumbeat of negotiations is being sounded, while on the other hand arrests continue. This is a cowardly act. If talks are underway, a conducive environment must also be created. The negotiation process should move forward positively so the country can be pulled out of the current political crisis."

Barrister Gohar thanked the leaders of all political parties participating in the talks, stressing that differences can only be resolved through dialogue and political reconciliation. He urged political forces to choose conversation and democratic methods over confrontation.

Meanwhile, the driver of the detained MPA said they were travelling roughly one furlong from home to attend a fateha when three vehicles carrying masked men intercepted their car, transferred Abdul Salam Afridi into one of the vehicles and drove away.

Barrister Gohar demanded that legal requirements concerning arrested political workers and leaders be fully observed, and that political issues be resolved through negotiations and constitutional, democratic means rather than arrests.