PESHAWAR: KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Tuesday announced a province-wide pen-down strike for Wednesday (today), after accusing the federal government of sustained discriminatory treatment towards the province.
According to a handout, the chief minister stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, representing the political mandate of Pakistan’s most popular leader Imran Khan, is being deliberately sidelined by the Federation, resulting in systemic neglect of the province’s constitutional rights and entitlements. He said significant inequalities persist in key areas, including the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, as well as the allocation and supply of electricity and natural gas. These disparities, he noted, are placing considerable strain on the province and adversely affecting public welfare.
He emphasized that such actions are inconsistent with constitutional principles and risk undermining intergovernmental trust and cohesion within the federation.
Announcing the strike, the chief minister clarified that emergency services would remain exempt to ensure that critical public services are not disrupted. Expressing concern over the conditions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, he said they are not being provided access to medical treatment under the supervision of their personal physicians, which he termed a violation of basic human rights. He stated that restricting Imran Khan’s access to his family members and counsel is both inhumane and contrary to established legal norms.
The chief minister called upon members of the legal fraternity, particularly those committed to constitutionalism and rule of law, to participate in the pen-down strike and raise a collective voice for the protection of provincial rights and an end to a system rooted in oppression, injustice and discrimination.
