PTI postpones Islamabad march to October 4: party sources

Majority of leadership had favoured holding the march as scheduled, but the committee ultimately agreed to defer it

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership on Friday decided to postpone its planned long march on Islamabad until October 4, with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi set to formally announce the decision, according to party sources.

The PTI had announced last month that it would march to Islamabad on September 27 to press for the release of party founder Imran Khan. The party had been preparing a central convoy from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), with caravans from other parts of the country expected to join before proceeding towards the federal capital. The federal government warned the party against going ahead with the march.

The decision was taken by the party’s political committee after consultations on whether to proceed with the march on the previously announced date of September 27. A majority of the leadership had favoured holding the march as scheduled, but the committee ultimately agreed to defer it until October 4, party sources added.

Earlier, K-P CM Afridi, speaking at a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, said that the planned long march on Islamabad would go ahead despite road blockades and other measures.

“Our long march will definitely take place. This time, we will definitely come out,” Afridi said.

وزیراعلیٰ خیبرپختونخوا محمد سہیل خان آفریدی کی 27 ستمبر بالقسط لانگ مارچ کے حوالے سے اہم پریس کانفرنس! pic.twitter.com/6UPL9CzRuC

— PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@PTIKPOfficial) September 25, 2026

The chief minister criticised the placement of nails on roads at the K-P boundary, saying the move raised questions about whether the province was being cut off from the rest of the country.

“No matter how many nails they put in the roads, this long march will not be stopped,” he said.

Afridi also questioned what he called a growing narrative that one province faced threats from other provinces rather than India. He also said that officials from one province had entered another and clashed with government employees.

“A narrative has been created for the past month that one province faces a threat from the other three provinces,” he said, asking whether the people of K-P were being portrayed negatively.

He added that PTI parliamentary leader Shahid Khattak and the provincial information minister had been barred from appearing in the media.

شاہد خٹک تحریک انصاف کے پارلیمانی لیڈر ہیں خیبرپختونخوا سے تعلق ہے اسے میڈیا پر بین کر دیا گیا ہے اس کا کیا مطلب لیا جائے ؟ انفارمیشن منسٹر خیبرپختونخوا کو بین کیا گیا ہے کیا مطلب لیا جائے ؟ ابھی مجھے اطلاع ملی ہے کہ وزیر اعلیٰ خیبرپختونخوا کی کوریج سے روک دیا گیا ہے اس کا کیا… pic.twitter.com/G3flVPM6Cj

— PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@PTIKPOfficial) September 25, 2026

He also said that K-P ministers were being taken away by people in plain clothes and that the province was being pushed in a different direction.

Afridi also criticised the closure of the provincial secretariat following a security alert, questioning why government operations had been halted when the area was already under security control. “The entire cantonment is under their control. How can there be a threat here?” he asked.

He said he had personally reopened the mosque inside the secretariat after it was closed over the rumoured security threat and offered prayers there. He also walked around the premises before urging people in K-P not to be afraid.

کیا آپ خیبرپختونخوا میں دوسرے صوبے کی ایڈمنسٹریشن لانچ کرنے جا رہے ہیں دوسرے صوبے کی ایڈمنسٹریشن خیبرپختونخوا کی حدود میں گھس کر کاروائی کر رہی ہے اسکا کیا مطلب لیا جائے ؟ یہ جو کیلیں آپ سڑکوں پر کھود رہے ہو یہ اس نظام کے طابوت میں آخری کیلیں ثابت ہوں گی ہم پاکستان کی حفاظت کریں… pic.twitter.com/A0L8VWE6ct

— PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (@PTIKPOfficial) September 25, 2026

“Till your CM is with you, no one will look at the province with an evil eye,” Afridi said.

Meanwhile, the PTI political committee was holding consultations on a proposal to postpone the long march until Oct 5. No final decision on the proposal had been announced. Afridi said further discussions would take place before the party formally announced whether the protest would be postponed.

He left for Charsadda after the press conference to attend a meeting.

Hotels closed in Faizabad

Meanwhile, all hotels within the Faizabad area have been ordered to close ahead of the possible PTI long march. Restaurants and shopkeepers have also been directed to close their businesses by this evening.

Guest houses and transport terminals at Faizabad have been ordered to close from tonight, according to police sources.

All hostels in and around Faizabad have also been directed to be vacated by tonight. Hotel, restaurant and hostel owners have been asked to submit affidavits to the relevant police stations, stating that their commercial buildings have been completely vacated.

Police have directed that action be taken against owners who fail to submit the affidavits by tomorrow evening, according to police sources.

Gohar urges govt to listen

The Centre on Thursday moved swiftly to deploy paramilitary Pakistan Rangers in several Punjab districts and the federal capital to assist police in maintaining law and order and responding to potential security threats, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior.

The move came as PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan urged the government to open negotiations over the party's planned September 27 long march, warning that political workers should not be confronted with force.

He said his party did not want the public and law-enforcement personnel to come face to face.

Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Gohar said dialogue was essential given the seriousness of the situation and the fact that a major political party was preparing for a long march.

He urged the government not to use net launchers against those taking part in the protest.

Read: Rule of law, supremacy of Constitution to prevail during PTI long march to Islamabad: Gohar

He said political workers were not supposed to be dealt with through such measures. Instead, their grievances should be heard and resolved, they should be provided justice and their concerns considered seriously, with both sides putting their egos aside.

Gohar said the entire issue had been turned into a battle of egos and that the government would have to set aside its ego.

He said the use of net launchers should be abandoned and a way found to ensure serenity, adding that PTI did not want the public and law-enforcement personnel to confront one another.

"We are saying that our voice should be heard. We are peaceful and are coming out for our rights. We are raising the voice for justice and have repeatedly said that we were not heard and were not given justice," he said.

Gohar said ministers could issue whatever statements they wished, but no minister had said that the government had listened to PTI's concerns and delivered justice.

He said the party had announced its programme well in advance and there would be no change in it.

Hazara routes blocked

Hazara road links with Punjab have been severed as authorities took measures to prevent the PTI from holding its proposed long march on September 27, causing difficulties for passengers and residents travelling towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The Hassan Abdal Road linking Haripur with Punjab has been blocked with containers at Jhari Kas, while the Haripur-Khanpur-Taxila Road has been closed at Gangu Bahadur by placing containers.

Containers have also been brought to the bridge over the Haro River at Ahata Taxila to block the Haripur-Hattar-Taxila Road. However, traffic on the route remains open for now and is expected to be blocked by Thursday night.

Twin cities brace for PTI march

Preparations to deal with the PTI's September 27 long march have entered the final phase in Rawalpindi Division, with more than 43,000 personnel to be deployed in Attock, Rawalpindi, Murree, Jhelum and Chakwal to prevent protesters from entering the twin cities.

Police authorities have decided to keep Rawalpindi and Islamabad open, with all preparations in place until the march enters Punjab territory.

Officials will assess the situation under a "wait and see" policy and take a response according to the situation if marchers cross barriers in Punjab and move closer to the twin cities.

In Rawalpindi Division, more than 43,000 police personnel will perform march-related duties in Attock, Rawalpindi, Murree, Jhelum and Chakwal. Of these, 30,000 personnel will be deployed in Attock.

Read more: Govt draws line ahead of PTI march

Around 14,250 personnel will be deployed at sealing points on the M-1 motorway, including Haroon Bridge, Ghazi-Barotha Motorway Bridge, Tower Hill, Hazara Motorway and Pathar Garh.

Another 11,450 personnel will be deployed at sealing points on the N-5 and N-80 routes, including Attock Khurd, Tarbela Road Jhansa, Haro Bridge, Jablat Bridge, Chaska Point and Khushal Garh. Around 5,000 personnel will be deployed at sealing points on the M-14 CPEC route, including Dhok Syedan Interchange and other M-14 points.

All personnel have been directed to perform duty equipped with riot-control equipment and kits.

For transport and logistics, six armoured personnel carrier (APC) vans, two water cannons, 20 prison vans, 50 megaphones and 12 quadcopters, along with operators, have also been requested. Additional surveillance equipment includes 12 quadcopters and their operators.