Islamabad: To escape public accountability over deteriorating law and order, rising corruption, nepotism, and administrative mismanagement in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government has once again resorted to its traditional “roadblock politics.” The closure of the main highway at Sangjani, reportedly on the instructions of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, has been described as an irresponsible and anti-public move that has severely disrupted the lives of ordinary citizens, including patients, students, and daily wage workers. Political and social circles have termed the act inconsistent with the responsibilities of an elected chief executive and merely an attempt to gain media attention.
According to political observers, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has previously attempted to gain public sympathy through staged protests and media-driven spectacles outside Adiala Jail, which largely failed to attract meaningful public support. With those efforts yielding little impact, the blocking of a key highway near Islamabad is now being seen as another attempt to create disruption and shift attention away from governance failures. Meanwhile, residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to face insecurity, economic hardship, and lack of basic services, while demands for accountability are being met with road closures rather than governance delivery.
Public sentiment, analysts note, is increasingly fatigued by such symbolic politics, social media theatrics, and short-term publicity stunts. They argue that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa requires serious governance and administrative reform rather than performative politics.
Critics further state that PTI’s recurring pattern of substituting governance with protest-driven optics has become increasingly evident. Similar to past political demonstrations, the Sangjani road closure is expected to face strong public backlash and rejection, as citizens continue to emphasize that governance is meant to serve public needs rather than exacerbate their difficulties for political messaging.
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