Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday announced the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is postponing its long march to Islamabad, originally scheduled for Sept. 27, until Oct. 4.
“Our long march will depart from Peshawar on Oct. 4,” he said, adding this was the unanimous decision of the PTI’s political committee. The decision, he said, had also been conveyed to Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
Reportedly, the TTAP had backed the original date for the long march, proposing a “slow” approach that would allow the demonstration to proceed toward Islamabad over several days. Most senior leaders of the PTI, however, supported delaying the long march and reaching Islamabad on Oct. 5.
According to Afridi, the party would mark Oct. 5 in Islamabad, as it was also incarcerated party founder Imran Khan’s birthday. The party’s central demand remains the medical treatment and release of Khan.
Ahead of the march, the federal government has closed or restricted access to major highways and motorways leading to Islamabad. The center has also authorized the deployment of Rangers across Islamabad and multiple districts of Punjab to maintain public order.
In his press conference, Afridi maintained the decision to delay the march was a “political strategy.” He claimed the federal government was in a state of panic over the march, alleging several routes connecting KP to the rest of Pakistan were blocked. He compared this to the separation of East and West Pakistan, questioning if the government wanted to “break” Pakistan once more.
“We are political people and will pursue a political struggle,” he said, vowing the party would defeat any “conspiracy” against it. During his speech, he reiterated the PTI’s position that Imran Khan would be released speedily if courts began “functioning properly.” He noted the government had failed to implement a Supreme Court order for Khan’s transfer to hospital.
“Our fight is for the supremacy of the Constitution and the law,” he claimed, alleging efforts are underway to maintain the confrontation between the PTI and the security establishment.
Tarar dares
Following Afridi’s announcement, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar “dared” the PTI to stage a sit-in in the federal capital or proceed with its planned long march to Islamabad. “If PTI has the courage, come and hold a sit-in. If you have the courage, come and hold a long march,” he said, lamenting that the PTI was more concerned about besieging Islamabad when the province under its control was beset by terrorists.
“PTI is a ‘blue-eyed’ party of terrorists,” he alleged, claiming it was the party’s policy to facilitate terrorists. He further alleged illegal mining in the province was funding terrorists.