PTI panel to probe long march failure

PESHAWAR:

The PTI core and political committees on Sunday constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate the long march's failure, with several participants reportedly holding suspended Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi responsible for shortcomings in its arrangements.

According to sources, the committees also discussed assigning Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif responsibility for matters relating to access to jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.

Some participants also called for giving party members responsibilities currently held by Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas. Achakzai and Abbas respectively serve as the leaders of opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate.

The meeting of the PTI core and political committees was held—following the removal of the party's provincial government in the K-P on October 11—to review the imposition of governor's rule and the emergency situation in K-P and discuss the party's future strategy.

The PTI announced holding a long march to Islamabad on September 27. The party later deferred the march until October 4, prior to which the federal government and the PTI held a long session of talks.

The federal government on October 11 announced imposing emergency in the province citing the rising incidents of terrorism in K-P and the provincial government's alleged failure to deal with the menace.

Sources said the Sunday meeting saw an extensive discussion on the long march, with most participants pointing to inadequate preparations, poor coordination and a lack of consultation with party leaders and members of the provincial assembly.

PTI Secretary-General Salman Akram Raja reportedly told the meeting that participation in the march was particularly low in Charsadda and Mardan. He also highlighted inadequate arrangements for overnight stays, noting that tents and other essential preparations had not been made.

According to sources, several participants consequently blamed Afridi for the shortcomings in organising the march. Raja, however, later defended Afridi, describing him as a courageous young leader committed to Imran Khan's ideology.

He said a critical review of the march's organisational arrangements was necessary but warned against presenting core committee discussions out of context to advance what he described as conspiratorial narratives against Afridi.

Some participants reportedly argued that the activity had effectively become a street movement rather than a properly organised long march, lacking clearly defined points of advance, logistical arrangements or strategy.