PTI Long March Changes Route, Heads to Khyber First, Afridi Says
PTI Long March Changes Route, Heads to Khyber First, Afridi Says
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced on Tuesday that the PTI long march would change course and head to Khyber first, before returning to Peshawar, as the party’s street protest entered its third day.
Afridi made the announcement while addressing marchers at University Chowk in Kohat, where the convoy had stopped after travelling from Karak. The chief minister said the change was a deliberate part of the party’s plan.
“We are playing a Test match; there are still many overs and players left. The change in route is part of the PTI’s strategy,” he told the crowd.
He said the march would still move on Islamabad at a time of the party’s choosing. “When we say we are going to Islamabad, no one will be able to stop us,” Afridi declared.
Why the PTI long march route was changed
Afridi linked the route change to the party’s earlier decision to move the march’s start date from September 27 to October 4. He said the authorities had reacted strongly to the postponement and were now worried about how long the protest would last.
The convoy spent Monday night in Kohat and was expected to camp in Mattani before moving toward Khyber, according to reports. K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has warned that the march would not be allowed to proceed beyond Attock.
The chief minister vowed the protest would remain peaceful and continue until the party’s demands were met, chief among them access to party founder Imran Khan.
The seven-point demands
Afridi said the march’s seven demands had already been published on social media and challenged critics to find a single one that was unlawful. He said he would cancel the march the same day if anyone proved even one demand unconstitutional.
The demands centre on three asks around Imran Khan: his medical treatment, a meeting with him, and his release from prison. Afridi questioned why the courts were not taking up the former prime minister’s cases, claiming he would be freed within an hour if the cases were heard.
He voiced concern about Imran’s health, warning officials would be held responsible if any harm came to him.
Exhausted legal avenues, says Afridi
The chief minister said he had repeatedly sought a meeting with Imran since taking office, including through the prime minister and the K-P Assembly, which passed a resolution on the matter, but no meeting was arranged. He alleged even court orders on access and medical treatment had not been carried out.
“Courts, assemblies and state institutions run on taxpayers’ money, and the people have the right to demand justice,” Afridi said. “If the courts do not provide justice, the people will seek justice on the streets.”
Security policy under fire
Afridi also attacked the security record in K-P, arguing that 22 years of military operations and drone strikes had failed to end terrorism, and claimed his government had a plan to restore peace within 100 days. The remarks came as talks between the two sides remain collapsed.
What happens next
The marchers are expected to regroup in Khyber before returning to Peshawar, keeping the protest on the road rather than converging on Islamabad for now. With the Centre warning against any attempt to enter the capital and the PTI insisting the march will continue until its demands are met, the standoff shows no sign of easing.
Frequently asked questions
Why did PTI change the long march route?
Afridi called it a deliberate part of the party’s strategy, comparing the protest to a Test match with “many overs and players left”.
What does PTI want?
Seven published demands, centred on access to Imran Khan, his medical treatment, and his release from prison.
When will the march reach Islamabad?
No date has been given. Afridi said the march would move on Islamabad when the PTI decided to do so.
What has the government said?
The Centre has warned the marchers not to enter Islamabad, and the K-P governor has said the march will not be allowed beyond Attock.
