KOHAT (Kashmir English): The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Kohat faced significant disorder as tight security arrangements led to unrest among party workers, particularly members of the Youth Wing.
According to sources present at the venue, strict security measures prevented many Youth Wing members from accessing the stage, creating frustration and chaos during the rally.
Eyewitnesses reported that Youth Wing activists raised slogans demanding representation on the stage and chanted against what they termed the “stage mafia” and certain party officials. The situation intensified as slogans echoed across the venue, highlighting internal dissatisfaction within the party ranks.
Meanwhile, media coverage of the rally remained limited as journalists were reportedly not allowed entry due to stringent security protocols. The restrictions drew criticism from media personnel and political observers, who questioned the transparency of the event.
Despite the disorder, the rally continued under heavy security, though the chants and protests by the Youth Wing overshadowed key speeches and became the main focus of the gathering.
Earlier, the rally drew severe criticism as government sources were used indiscriminately. According to the details, the party members used heavy government-owned machinery to clean the roads and pave the way before the arrival of the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi.
According to eyewitnesses, government machinery was used on various highways and main routes before the PTI’s Kohat rally. Roads were cleaned, and routes were paved, videos of which have gone viral on social media. In these videos, cleaning staff and government vehicles can be clearly seen, after which a new debate has arisen in political circles.
It should be noted that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has previously announced on several occasions that ‘government resources will not be used for rallies, processions and political activities’. However, videos and eyewitness statements that emerged before the Kohat rally have put a question mark on these claims.
According to the experts, if government resources have indeed been used for political rallies, then this is not only against the government’s claims but also contradicts the principles of transparent governance.
The people say that it is the responsibility of the relevant authorities to provide clarification on this issue so that the anxiety among the people can be removed.
There has been no official statement from the PTI or the district administration on this matter yet; however, the matter is being discussed on social media, and various quarters are demanding an investigation into it.
