Muhammad Irfanullah
Date: September 26, 2026 The True Post (Web News) —Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has announced that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march towards Islamabad has been postponed until October 4.
Sohail Afridi said the party’s political committee reached a unanimous decision after consultations on all matters related to the march. He said the long march will now leave Peshawar for Islamabad on October 4.
Political Committee Decides New Date
Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, Sohail Afridi said the PTI political committee held detailed consultations on the long march and other political matters.
He said the committee agreed that the march would begin from Peshawar on October 4. The long march had previously been scheduled for September 27, but its date has now been changed.
PTI Says March Will Be Peaceful
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister said the long march would remain peaceful and that PTI would continue its political struggle despite any obstacles placed along the route.
He questioned what the government wanted to demonstrate by blocking roads, saying PTI members were political workers and would continue their political struggle.
Criticism of Federal Ministers
Sohail Afridi also criticised statements made by some federal ministers.
He said one federal minister could not even win a union council election, while describing the language allegedly used against an elected chief minister as condemnable.
According to Afridi, political differences should be resolved through political means.
Reference to Imran Khan
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister also spoke about the situation involving PTI founder Imran Khan.
Afridi claimed that if the courts began performing their role, Imran Khan could secure bail within half an hour.
He also claimed that the Supreme Court had ordered that Imran Khan be shifted to a hospital but that the order had not been implemented.
Allegations of Arrests
Sohail Afridi alleged that PTI members of the provincial assembly were being arrested and that roads had been blocked at the borders of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said PTI members were political and peaceful people, but claimed that such measures raised concerns that cases and actions against the party similar to those seen in the past could be resumed.
Rule of Law and Constitution
The chief minister said PTI’s struggle was for the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.
He argued that political tensions were benefiting others while attention should instead be focused on public issues and government expenditures.
Concerns Over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Borders
Afridi also objected to road blockades and the installation of spikes along routes within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said installing spikes at the provincial boundary was being interpreted as an attempt to isolate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the rest of Pakistan.
He said Pakistan would not break apart under any circumstances and maintained that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stood with Pakistan.
Objections Over Government Officials
The chief minister claimed that government officials arriving from another province were becoming involved in disputes with officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He questioned whether confidence in the province’s administration and police had been lost or whether there was an attempt to bring police and administrative officials from another province into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Complaints Regarding Media Coverage
Sohail Afridi also claimed that some Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ministers and parliamentary leaders were being prevented from appearing in the media.
He said there were also reports of obstacles concerning media coverage of the chief minister.
Allegations of False Security Threats
The chief minister questioned the closure of government buildings and other locations on the grounds of security threats.
He said he personally visited some of the locations that had been closed because of alleged threats and claimed that he did not find any such danger there.
Afridi alleged that the provincial system was being disrupted through what he described as false security threats.
Postponement Described as Political Strategy
Sohail Afridi said postponing the long march until October 4 was part of PTI’s political strategy.
He said the door for negotiations would remain open after the march and that political issues could still be addressed through dialogue.
Allies Informed of Decision
The chief minister said the political committee’s decision had also been communicated to Mahmood Khan Achakzai, head of the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Aain Pakistan, and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas.
He said consultations had also taken place with PTI’s political allies regarding the long march.
March to Leave Peshawar on October 4
Sohail Afridi said the long march would now leave Peshawar on October 4.
He said PTI would continue its political struggle and that party workers would also be informed about the future course of action concerning the march.
Claim of Struggle Against the Existing System
During his remarks, Afridi said that when PTI workers take to the streets on October 4, they would, in his words, launch a decisive struggle against the “corrupt system” and what he described as “fake rulers.”
He said PTI would not retreat from its demands and would continue its political struggle.
Response to Government Measures
The chief minister said that whether spikes were installed on roads, containers were placed or other obstacles were created, PTI would proceed with the long march.
He also called on state institutions and the ruling authorities not to further escalate political tensions.
New Date for the Long March
The PTI long march towards Islamabad had originally been scheduled to leave on September 27. Following consultations within the party’s political committee, the new date has been set for October 4.
According to Sohail Afridi, the march will depart from Peshawar and the party has decided that it will remain peaceful.
