MANSEHRA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deputy president Kamal Saleem Swati, who is also the nephew of provincial assembly speaker Babar Saleem Swati, claimed on Wednesday evening that he came under attack by a group of people travelling in a pickup vehicle near Ghazikot Township here.

“I was on my way back home after offering condolences to people and attending public meetings when people in black uniforms intercepted my vehicle and fired at it in an attempt to abduct me, but my guards also retaliated,” he told reporters at the Insaf Secretariat here.

Flanked by a group of PTI workers, Mr Swati said that he had reached the Insaf Secretariat safely, but questioned the security arrangements of the Mansehra district police officer and the Hazara deputy inspector general of police.

“I demand that the district police officer lodge an FIR against the perpetrators of the attack,” Mr Swati said.

He said that he had committed no wrongdoing and was standing firmly with his party’s founding chairman Imran Khan and would lead the Sept 27 rally to participate in the protest march on Islamabad.

“I want to make it clear and tell the people that we are with Imran Khan and would stand with him under any circumstances,” Mr Swati said.

The PTI leader said that they were standing with the people and for true democracy, as well as the honour and dignity of the people, and would never bow down before such threats and tactics.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2026