PTI still ready for 'meaningful, positive negotiations', says Gohar as long march enters fifth day

Imposition of governor's rule or an emergency will not resolve the situation: Gohar

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said the party remained ready for “meaningful, positive negotiations” with the government as the long march, led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, entered its fifth day and continued towards Islamabad despite government warnings.

Speaking at a press conference in Charsaddah, Gohar said the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency would not resolve the situation and urged the decision-makers to “have mercy on the country and the nation”.

“Democracy has come to a traffic jam,” he said, calling on powerful decision-makers to respect the people’s mandate and recognise democratically elected governments.

He also defended CM Afridi, saying he had never made a statement in support of terrorists, adding that PTI stood with the state in the fight against terrorism, but stressed that the country’s four-decade-old policy on terrorism needed to be changed.

“What is happening with Sohail Afridi today is a lesson for the other provinces,” Gohar added.

Gohar expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would play a positive role in the ongoing negotiations.

“We made great efforts to bring Maulana Fazlur Rehman into the opposition alliance,” he said.

The PTI chairman also thanked the JUI-F, Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamaat-e-Islami for opposing the imposition of governor’s rule in K-P.

He criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), saying their leaders were running a “false narrative” against PTI through daily press conferences.

Meanwhile, PTI has revised the plan for its long march and issued the schedule for the next phase.

According to PTI K-P Secretary General Ali Asghar Khan, CM Afridi would lead the long march in each district as the "convoy is scheduled to arrive in Peshawar from Khyber tonight."

"PTI said the march will reach Charsadda on October 9, Mardan on October 10 and Swabi on October 11, and the party will decide its next course of action after reaching Swabi," he added.

Long March route so far and the schedule for October 8th#عوامی_مزاحمت_کی_للکار pic.twitter.com/EVSPMvRC1l

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 8, 2026

The march began from Lakki Marwat on October 4 after talks between the PTI and the federal government failed to resolve their differences. The protest had initially been scheduled for September 27 but was postponed to October 4 as the two sides attempted to negotiate. The talks ultimately broke down, with counter-terrorism policy and meetings with party founder Imran Khan emerging as the main points of disagreement between the federal and opposition.