SWABI: The PTI long march lost its momentum in Swabi on Sunday, hours after the federal government imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The caravan had been expected to reach Swabi on Sunday night, but the party’s local leadership stayed away and no significant protest was reported anywhere in the district.
A small gathering did form at Shiwa Adda and the Ismaila Interchange. Police moved in and dispersed part of it, and the wider mobilisation the party had promised did not take shape.
Police seal key points across Swabi
Police took up positions at Aman Chowk in Swabi, in Topi, at the Swabi Interchange and at Shiwa Adda in Razaar tehsil. Containers were placed at the Swabi Interchange, at Jahangira Bridge and at the Indus River bridge on the M-1 Motorway.
Mobile phone and PTCL internet services were suspended across the district. Despite the restrictions, the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway and the Grand Trunk Road remained open. At Aman Chowk, traffic moved as usual and shops stayed open.
According to sources, PTI leaders had asked workers to gather at the Razaar Sports Complex to prepare for the caravan. Some workers and members of the party’s youth wing reached Shiwa Adda ground and the Ismaila Interchange, but the numbers stayed small.
Police sources said raids were carried out around Shiwa Adda to arrest PTI workers. No arrests were reported. The Tribune report does not say that former chief minister Sohail Afridi, who led the march, was detained.
KP police warn against unrest
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police said they would act firmly against rioting, vandalism and threats to public property and peace. Officers said police stations, government buildings, banks, petrol pumps, commercial centres and highways would be protected, and protests and the official response would be recorded on video.
In Peshawar, the Cantonment was sealed even before the emergency was formally announced. Saddar Bazaar and other Cantonment markets were closed. Containers blocked routes at Firdous Chowk, Assembly Chowk, University Road, Pajagi Road and Kohat Road, as well as roads to the Provincial Assembly, Mall Road, Khyber Road and the High Court. TransPeshawar suspended the Bus Rapid Transit service indefinitely and closed its stations. The blockade matched the scene reported earlier in the day, when containers blocked roads across Peshawar after the emergency was imposed.
A march that ran into a constitutional wall
The march began on October 4, after talks between the government and the PTI collapsed. Afridi led the caravan through several districts of the province. The party demanded access to its jailed founder, Imran Khan, and his release.
The convoy reached Peshawar earlier in the week. At one stage, the PTI offered talks to the federal government as the march pressed on towards Swabi. The offer did not stop the federal move.
On Sunday, the federal cabinet advised the president to act, and emergency and governor’s rule were imposed in KP under Articles 232 and 234 of the Constitution. Afridi and his cabinet ceased to hold office. The Centre also authorised the deployment of the Pakistan Army in KP in aid of civil power under Article 245.
Political fight moves to courts and assemblies
The PTI and its allies have rejected the emergency. The opposition alliance has already said it will challenge the move, and TTAP condemned governor’s rule in KP as unconstitutional on Sunday. JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has also turned on the government, saying Fazl accused the government of reneging on the mediation course agreed with him.
The disruption spread beyond KP on Sunday. In Lahore, intercity bus services were suspended and terminals reportedly sealed, leaving passengers stranded as the security measures widened.
For now, the street phase of the PTI campaign appears to be over. The caravan that set out for Islamabad stopped in Swabi, and the party’s next steps are expected in Parliament and the courts rather than on the motorway.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the PTI long march end?
The march lost momentum in Swabi on Sunday. A small gathering formed at Shiwa Adda and the Ismaila Interchange, but no major protest was reported in the district and the caravan did not move on towards Islamabad.
Why did the march stop?
The march stopped on the day the federal government imposed an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Police sealed key points in Swabi, containers blocked bridges and the M-1, and mobile and internet services were suspended in the district.
Did roads stay open in Swabi?
Yes. The Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway and the Grand Trunk Road remained open, and traffic and business at Aman Chowk were reported as normal.
