The recent attack on the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally in Peshawar marks yet another dark chapter in the political history of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the PTI-led government. What should have been a peaceful and democratic expression of political will was met with brutal baton charges and shelling—acts that are entirely indefensible in any civil society.

Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, along with senior PPP leadership, has rightly condemned the incident, calling out the fascist tactics being employed by the PTI provincial government to suppress dissent. This assault is not just on the PPP; it is an attack on the fundamental democratic right of peaceful assembly—a cornerstone of any functioning democracy.

Such authoritarian behavior only highlights the deep insecurities and failures of a government that appears unwilling to tolerate criticism or opposition. Using state machinery to crush political opponents is the hallmark of fascism, not governance. It is telling that women and unarmed party workers became targets of violence in an attempt to instill fear and silence democratic voices.

This is not the first time the PTI-led administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been accused of anti-democratic conduct, but the intensity and shamelessness of this recent act have crossed all boundaries. The people of Pakistan deserve leaders who respect the Constitution, uphold political freedoms, and understand that disagreement is not a crime—it is a right.

PPP’s principled stance and swift condemnation of the incident reflect a commitment to democratic values and civil liberties. It is time for other political parties, human rights organizations, and civil society to take a united stand against the creeping authoritarianism that threatens the very fabric of our democracy.

The state must be reminded: political power is not a license for repression. Those responsible for the attack must be held accountable. Silence in the face of such fascist aggression would be complicity.