Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has launched the PTI’s planned long march toward Islamabad, with a large convoy leaving Lakki Marwat on Sunday and later moving into Karak district.
The political situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has become increasingly tense as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters began a march that the party says is aimed at demanding the release of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan.
The march began from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on October 4. According to reports, thousands of supporters gathered in the area before the convoy started moving toward its next destination.
By Sunday night, the convoy led by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi had reached Hamidan Chowk in Karak district.
Why is PTI holding the march?
The PTI has linked the protest to the imprisonment of Imran Khan and has also raised concerns about political and security policies affecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking to supporters in Lakki Marwat, Afridi said his party would not support policies that it believes are against the interests of the people of the province.
He also criticised the government's approach to dealing with terrorism and argued that a different policy was needed to improve security in KP.
The chief minister presented the march as a political movement and called on supporters to remain committed to the party's leadership and objectives.
The PTI had originally planned the long march for September 27 but later postponed it to October 4. The party subsequently proceeded with the new schedule after negotiations between the government and opposition failed to produce an agreement.
Convoy moves through southern KP
Before the main convoy began its journey, PTI supporters from several southern districts prepared to join the march.
The party's plan includes participants from areas such as Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Bannu.
The convoy's first major overnight stop was planned near Karak. From there, the participants were expected to continue toward Kohat and later move in the direction of Peshawar.
According to the schedule announced by the KP leadership, additional supporters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai are expected to join the movement as it progresses.
The convoy is then scheduled to travel toward Peshawar before moving onward to the Charsadda area.
The final stage of the journey toward Islamabad has not been fully detailed by the KP chief minister. The PTI leadership is expected to announce further plans as the march approaches Khairabad.
Ali Amin Gandapur's convoy turns back
Another PTI convoy led by former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur had earlier departed from Dera Ismail Khan to join the main march.
However, the group later turned back from Yarik after encountering road blockades and security concerns.
Gandapur said the decision was made to avoid putting party workers at unnecessary risk. The convoy had reportedly remained at Yarik for several hours.
He also referred to restrictions imposed under Section 144 and said the prevailing law-and-order situation made it difficult to keep a large number of people at the location overnight.
Gandapur stressed that returning to Dera Ismail Khan should not be interpreted as abandoning the protest. He said the workers could attempt to join the march again if conditions improved or new instructions were issued by the party leadership.
He also urged supporters to avoid violence, vandalism and confrontations with law enforcement agencies.
Government raises concerns over the march
The federal government has opposed the PTI's planned movement toward Islamabad and has warned that protesters will not be allowed to enter the capital.
Government officials have also raised concerns about the use of provincial government resources during the march.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar criticised Afridi after the KP chief minister travelled by helicopter to Lakki Marwat. Tarar argued that using a state helicopter for a political activity was inappropriate and referred to a recent Islamabad High Court order concerning the use of government resources for marches and gatherings.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also criticised the move and questioned whether the use of the helicopter was consistent with the court's directions.
The dispute over the helicopter has added another issue to an already tense political situation between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration.
Security restrictions in several districts
The long march is taking place while several parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are under additional security restrictions.
Authorities in different districts have imposed Section 144, limiting movement along certain roads and routes.
In Dera Ismail Khan, restrictions on people and traffic along specified routes were introduced for several days because of security concerns.
Similar restrictions have also been reported in parts of South Waziristan, Tank and Hangu.
The restrictions are intended to address public safety and law-and-order concerns. Emergency services and law enforcement agencies are exempt from some of the restrictions.
These measures could affect the movement of PTI supporters as the convoy travels through different districts.
What happens next?
The PTI convoy is expected to continue its journey through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the coming days.
The announced schedule includes stops near Karak, Kohat, Peshawar and Charsadda before the participants gather near Khairabad.
The political situation could change as the march progresses, particularly because the federal government has already made clear that it does not want the protesters entering Islamabad.
For now, the focus remains on whether the convoy can continue its planned route peacefully and how the federal and provincial governments respond to the developing situation.
The PTI leadership has repeatedly called on its supporters to remain peaceful and avoid damaging public or private property. Meanwhile, government officials have continued to emphasise security and public-order concerns.
The coming days are therefore likely to be important for both the PTI's protest campaign and the wider political situation in Pakistan.
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