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PTI long march led by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi from Lakki Marwat
PTI supporters join the long march led by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi from Lakki Marwat towards the next phase of the political campaign. AI Generated

PTI Long March Begins After Talks Fail | Shyok Times

PTI Long March Moves Towards Islamabad After Talks Collapse

LAKKI MARWAT/KARAK, Pakistan — PTI long march towards Islamabad began from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat on Sunday after negotiations between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the federal government failed to resolve key differences.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi led the first phase of the procession from Gandi Chowk on the Peshawar-Karachi Indus Highway, with supporters from Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank and the former tribal districts joining the convoy. By late Sunday, the procession had moved into the Karak district, according to multiple reports.

The development comes amid heightened political tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration. The negotiations had been viewed as a possible avenue for preventing the march, but both sides remained divided, particularly over counterterrorism cooperation and the federal government’s expectations from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration.

The PTI says its political movement is aimed primarily at securing the release of party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan and pressing for what it describes as the supremacy of the Constitution and law. The federal government, meanwhile, has warned that protesters will not be permitted to enter Islamabad if authorities determine that the gathering threatens public order or involves unlawful activity.

PTI long march begins from Lakki Marwat

The first phase of the PTI long march formally began at Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on Sunday afternoon.

Chief Minister Sohail Afridi reached the district by helicopter before addressing supporters and leading the convoy. The planned mobilisation included participants from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat.

 


The march had originally been announced for September 27 but was postponed to October 4 as PTI and government representatives attempted to find a political solution. The renewed mobilisation therefore represents a significant escalation after those discussions failed to produce an agreement.

Reports from the ground indicated a substantial PTI presence in Lakki Marwat, with supporters carrying party flags and gathering around the chief minister's convoy. Associated Press reported that more than 5,000 supporters had joined the multi-day march.

Afridi has repeatedly maintained that the protest is intended to remain political and peaceful.

Convoy moves towards Karak

The announced route places Karak as the first major overnight stop for the main convoy.

After leaving Lakki Marwat, the procession moved towards the Bannu-Karak area and entered Karak district. Dawn reported late Sunday that the convoy had reached the district, while other reports said participants were expected to camp there overnight before continuing towards Kohat on October 5.

 


Under the schedule announced by Afridi, participants from Karak are expected to join the convoy around midday on October 5. The procession is then scheduled to move towards Kohat.

The next stages are expected to bring additional supporters into the caravan as it travels through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai participants to join

According to the schedule released by the KP chief minister, supporters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai are expected to join the march on October 6.

The convoy is then scheduled to proceed towards Peshawar and spend the night around the Matani area. The following day, the procession is expected to move onwards from the Peshawar region towards Charsadda.

The route means the protest could expand significantly as it passes through major population centres in the province.

PTI leaders have urged workers to maintain discipline and avoid carrying weapons, sticks, stones or other objects that could contribute to violence. Dawn reported that party officials described the campaign as a constitutional and political struggle.

This emphasis is important because previous PTI demonstrations in Pakistan have sometimes resulted in clashes, arrests, road closures and major disruption.

PTI plans major gathering at Khairabad

The next major milestone in the PTI long march is expected on October 8.

Afridi's announced schedule says caravans from different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will converge at Khairabad. The chief minister has indicated that the next phase of the movement will be announced there rather than providing a detailed final Islamabad route in advance.

This distinction is important.

Although the political campaign has widely been described as a march towards Islamabad, the detailed schedule currently available publicly outlines the initial stages through Karak, Kohat, Peshawar, Charsadda and Khairabad. The precise next step towards the federal capital remains dependent on the leadership's announcement.

That could make Khairabad a crucial point in determining whether the confrontation escalates, negotiations resume or the march adopts a different strategy.

Government-PTI talks collapse

The march began shortly after another round of talks between the federal government and the opposition ended without a breakthrough.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the negotiations had collapsed and accused Chief Minister Sohail Afridi of undermining the process. Government representatives said the disagreement centred heavily on security and counterterrorism commitments expected from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

The government has argued that counterterrorism cannot be separated from political negotiations because Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to face serious security challenges.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also said the government could not retreat from counterterrorism efforts and warned that the PTI march would not be permitted to enter Islamabad.

The government's position has therefore been that political protest is one matter, but security and law-and-order responsibilities are non-negotiable.

PTI rejects government's position

PTI representatives have offered a different account of why the negotiations failed.

According to reporting from Pakistani media, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja argued that the federal government wanted the provincial administration to take ownership of counterterrorism measures initiated by the Centre.

The PTI leadership has also rejected suggestions that its political campaign should be cancelled because of the security situation. Party officials say political and security issues should be handled through dialogue rather than allowing either side to dictate terms.

Afridi has separately rejected policies that he believes would undermine the province's political mandate and has spoken against the possibility of governor's rule or an emergency being imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Reports of possible federal intervention have added another layer of tension to the dispute.

Because the competing sides have presented different explanations for the breakdown, claims about who was solely responsible should be treated as political allegations rather than independently established facts.

Islamabad faces heightened security concerns

The biggest question surrounding the PTI long march is what happens if the procession eventually attempts to enter Islamabad.

The federal government has already warned that protesters will not be allowed to enter the capital if authorities consider their actions unlawful or threatening to public order. Rana Sanaullah said the government would not permit an attempt to storm Islamabad.

Authorities have also taken security precautions ahead of the protest. Associated Press reported that roadblocks and shipping containers had been deployed around routes leading towards Islamabad, while restrictions have also affected movement in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The potential consequences extend beyond politics.

Large political caravans can affect traffic, public transport, businesses, schools and ordinary residents. Any confrontation between protesters and security forces could further increase political tensions and create new legal and security complications.

For readers following developments in the capital, Shyok Times' Islamabad and Rawalpindi coverage provides additional context on how major disruptions can affect residents and movement in the twin cities.

What is the PTI demanding?

The central political demand behind the march is the release of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan, who has remained imprisoned since 2023 while facing multiple legal cases.

PTI says the movement is also connected to what it describes as the protection of constitutional rights, the supremacy of law and the independence of institutions.

The government disputes PTI's political framing and has focused heavily on security, particularly the threat of militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The result is a confrontation involving two overlapping issues: PTI's political demands and the government's security concerns.

That combination makes negotiations considerably more difficult because neither side views the dispute as purely political.

Why the negotiations mattered

The failed talks were significant because they offered a possible alternative to confrontation.

The government and opposition had held multiple rounds of discussions, with representatives attempting to address the march as well as wider political and security issues. However, the talks ultimately failed to prevent the mobilisation.

The breakdown demonstrates the difficulty of reaching agreement between the federal government and the PTI-led KP administration while questions surrounding security operations, provincial autonomy and Imran Khan's imprisonment remain unresolved.

For Pakistan's political system, the immediate challenge is to prevent a political dispute from turning into a wider law-and-order crisis.

What happens next?

The immediate schedule points to October 5 as the next important day for the procession.

The convoy is expected to continue from Karak towards Kohat, with additional participants joining along the route. On October 6, supporters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai are scheduled to join before the march moves towards Peshawar.

On October 7, the procession is expected to move onwards from the Peshawar area, while October 8 is scheduled to bring different caravans together at Khairabad.

The political direction beyond that point remains uncertain.

The PTI could decide to continue towards Islamabad, intensify negotiations or announce a revised strategy depending on developments on the ground.

The government's response will also be closely watched, particularly regarding road closures, security deployments and whether fresh negotiations are attempted.

PTI long march: Key facts at a glance

Where did the PTI long march begin?
The first phase began at Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Who is leading it?
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is leading the main provincial convoy.

Why is PTI marching?
PTI says the movement seeks the release of Imran Khan and demands the supremacy of the Constitution and law.

 


Where is the convoy going first?
The announced route runs through Karak and Kohat before moving towards Peshawar and Charsadda.

What happens on October 8?
PTI caravans are scheduled to gather at Khairabad, where the next phase is expected to be announced.

Why did talks fail?
The government and PTI remained divided over security and counterterrorism cooperation, among other political issues.

Will the march definitely enter Islamabad?
That remains uncertain. The government has said it will not allow unlawful entry into the capital, while PTI has maintained its political campaign.

A developing political confrontation

The PTI long march represents one of the most significant political confrontations between the federal government and the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa administration in recent months.

The procession has already moved beyond its starting point in Lakki Marwat and entered Karak, while the political dispute that triggered it remains unresolved.

For now, the most important developments to watch are the size of the caravans joining the march, the response of federal and provincial authorities, the possibility of renewed negotiations and the strategy PTI announces after its planned gathering at Khairabad.

The situation remains fluid. Details of the route, security measures, political negotiations and participation may change as events develop.

Shyok Times News Desk will continue monitoring the situation and update this report as verified information becomes available.

Editorial note

This report has been prepared using multiple contemporary Pakistani and international reports, including coverage from Dawn, Geo News, Associated Press and other sources. Claims made by political parties or government representatives are identified as such and should not be treated as independently established facts. The route and schedule described above are based on the PTI/KP chief minister's announced plan and may change.

For broader national and regional developments, readers can follow Shyok Times and review our Editorial Policy, which sets out the publication's standards for verification, attribution and corrections.

External Resources (DoFollow):
Follow more on GEO TV: Sohail Afridi announces PTI long march towards Islamabad
Read further at ARY News: PTI begins Islamabad long march
Keep reading via DAWN: CM Afridi launches PTI long march to Islamabad

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