Sanaullah to PTI long march: no demand accepted under pressure
Sanaullah to PTI long march: no demand accepted under pressure
ISLAMABAD: The federal government ruled out conceding to any demand pressed through street agitation on Wednesday, as the PTI long march entered its fourth day and the political standoff hardened on both sides.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, addressing a press conference in Islamabad, said no demand would be accepted if it was made by holding the state hostage or creating political instability. He urged the PTI to set aside what he called its politics of instability and resolve differences through dialogue.
Sanaullah draws line on talks and pressure
Sanaullah said the government remained willing to hold talks but warned that pressure tactics would not work. “No demand can be accepted by holding the state hostage,” he said, adding that such a tactic would not be allowed under any circumstances.
He accused the PTI of introducing a culture of political intolerance and abusive rhetoric into national politics since 2011, and of carrying forward an agenda of instability since its 126-day sit-in in Islamabad in 2014. Since then, he said, laying siege to the capital had remained one of the party’s strong points.
Anti-terror operations to continue
Sanaullah rejected PTI’s claims about the anti-terrorism policy as an attempt to create confusion, saying the policy was already made and being implemented. Intelligence-based operations in K-P would continue, he said, dismissing claims that a new operation would displace people. Both Field Marshal Asim Munir and the federal government had categorically clarified that no such move was planned.
PTI response: only Imran Khan can end the march
PTI’s K-P spokesperson Shaukat Yousafzai rejected threats of governor’s rule in the province and said the march would not end under pressure. Only jailed PTI founder Imran Khan could decide its fate, he said.
“We will not back down from our demands for a meeting with Imran and his transfer to hospital,” Yousafzai said. He also demanded the release of imprisoned women, including Imran’s sisters, and questioned K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi’s authority to summon the provincial chief secretary and police chief, saying that after the 18th Amendment the governor did not “even have the authority to crack a walnut.”
PTI long march route and security plan
The long march, led by K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, began on Sunday, October 4, from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat, with caravans from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, the Waziristans and Bannu joining in. It reached Kohat on Monday, and on Tuesday Afridi announced the route change: the march would first head to Khyber for a night camp, then proceed to Peshawar.
Under the revised schedule, the caravan was due to depart from Budh Bair in Peshawar on Wednesday and move towards the Charsadda interchange, heading to Khairabad on October 8. K-P police spokesman Alam Khan said a security plan was in place from Peshawar to Nowshera, with drone cameras monitoring the march and around 300 personnel deployed along the route.
What happens next
Attention now turns to whether backchannel contacts produce a breakthrough before the caravan moves towards Khairabad on Thursday.
Frequently asked questions
What did Rana Sanaullah say about the PTI long march?
Sanaullah said the government would not accept any demand made by holding the state hostage or creating political instability, and urged the PTI to resolve differences through negotiations instead.
Who can call off the PTI long march, according to the party?
PTI spokesperson Shaukat Yousafzai said the march would not end under pressure and that only party founder Imran Khan could decide when to call it off.
Where is the PTI long march headed now?
After a route change announced on Tuesday, the march headed towards Khyber for a night camp, then to Peshawar. It is scheduled to move from the Charsadda interchange towards Khairabad on October 8.
What are the PTI’s demands?
The party wants a meeting with Imran Khan, his transfer to hospital, and the release of imprisoned women including Imran’s sisters.
Related:
