Islamabad, Oct 9 (IANS): The All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee has expressed support for the march and demands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), local media reported on Friday.
In a statement, All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee chairman Ali Ahmed Kurd and representatives of various bar associations and councils said that march being carried out by PTI would be a historic struggle for strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan, Pakistan-based daily Dawn reported.
The lawyers said the PTI has been carrying out the march for supremacy of the constitution and law, an independent judiciary, parliament and against the ongoing economic and political crisis, worsening law and order, illegal arrests of political and human rights activists, inflation and lawlessness in Pakistan.
The lawyers demanded the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and other party leaders detained in Pakistan. It said that lawyers would hold a protest if the Pakistani authorities impose a governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or take ‘any democratic action’, Dawn reported.
Earlier on Thursday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that PTI would continue the long march as there was “no way back” as the party’s convoy arrived in Peshawar on the fifth consecutive day of its journey, The Express Tribune reported.
While addressing participants of the march, Afridi said PTI would continue the political and democratic struggle within the framework of the constitution and law and expressed gratitude to the people of Khyber, Peshawar and southern districts for attending the march and urged them to maintain their passion and enthusiasm.
“There is no way back. The dream of true freedom will certainly be fulfilled. They will fire bullets, and we will offer our chests,” The Express Tribune quoted him as saying.
Afridi described the march as a struggle for “true freedom” and said that PTI founder Imran Khan stood by the country despite facing difficulties and did not bow to pressure.
Referring to the march in cricket terminology, he said, “This is the youth’s long march. This is not a fixed match; it will be a decisive march.” He further stated, “First we will play a Test match, then a T20 and finally a T10.”
