PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has declared a large-scale protest scheduled for May 26 in front of the Provincial Assembly as part of its ongoing "Save the Province Movement." The demonstration is anticipated to attract between 10,000 to 20,000 participants from various regions of the province, with PPP KP President Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha leading the rally.  

Osama Yawar, Advisor to the Provincial President on Media and Strategy, stated on Saturday that the protest reflects the deepening public anger over escalating inflation, unemployment, severe electricity shortages, deteriorating law and order, and rampant corruption. He asserted that the people of KP would no longer remain passive and would take to the streets to demand accountability from what he described as the incompetent PTI-led government.  

Yawar highlighted several major scandals plaguing the province, including the Kohistan development scam, where billions of rupees were reportedly embezzled through fake contracts and ghost companies, leaving critical infrastructure in ruins. He also condemned the Solarization of Mosques Project, labeling it a thinly veiled political bribe marred by fraudulent contractors and misappropriated funds. Additionally, he criticized the Peshawar BRT project, citing substandard service, exorbitant costs, and a stalled accountability process. 

According to Yawar, governance in KP has severely deteriorated, with hospitals facing medicine shortages, schools struggling due to a lack of teachers, and the judicial system rendered ineffective under a politically influenced police force. He accused the PTI administration of dismantling local government structures and diverting development funds to politically motivated initiatives.  

Describing the upcoming protest as the "largest people’s referendum in KP," Yawar claimed that the PTI had turned the province into a testing ground for corruption, nepotism, and administrative failure. He stressed that only a strong public uprising could dismantle the current system and restore proper governance.  

"The PPP is determined to reclaim the rights of the people, dismantle this corrupt regime, and transform KP into a peaceful and prosperous region," Yawar concluded, reaffirming the party's commitment to systemic change. The protest is expected to intensify political tensions in the province as opposition against the PTI government grows.