KP CM Afridi reaffirms PTI's Sept. 27 Islamabad march amid arrests

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said Monday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will hold its Sept. 27 Islamabad march to demand the release of jailed founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He spoke in Peshawar after arrests of party supporters and Khan's family members raised tensions ahead of the protest.

Why is PTI marching on Islamabad on Sept. 27?

PTI is marching to demand Khan's release. Afridi said the party has exhausted political, legal and constitutional avenues and will now turn to street protests. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali says the demands are that Khan's cases be heard, he be allowed to meet his family and lawyers, and his health and medical treatment be ensured.

What did Afridi say about the arrests and the protest?

Afridi addressed a press conference after a PTI parliamentary party meeting in Peshawar. He accused the state and those in power of continued "oppression and repression" against the party since the Nov. 26, 2024, protests.

He said that Khan's three sisters, Aleema Khan, Uzma Khanum and Noreen Niazi, were detained Sunday ahead of the planned protest.

Afridi also alleged that KP Minister Shakil Khan's vehicle came under fire in an attempted abduction. He said Minister Fazal Shakoor Khan was abducted after unidentified men in plain clothes opened fire on his vehicle.

Afridi said the Sept. 27 protest would proceed "with full force" while insisting that PTI supporters would remain peaceful. "Anyone who creates disorder will not be one of us," he said, describing PTI as a political force and street protest as its constitutional right.

What did PTI chairman Gohar Ali say about the march?

Gohar called on the state to change its conduct toward the party, saying PTI was seeking justice through constitutional and political means. He claimed that around 1,500 PTI workers and five lawmakers had been arrested. He also questioned the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where PTI is in government but, he alleged, "someone else's writ prevails."

Gohar reaffirmed that PTI would proceed with the march, saying the party was not going to "conquer" the capital but to demand the Constitution and the rule of law. "We are not coming to conquer Islamabad, but to seek our rights," he said previously when announcing the protest.

He said the party would not use state or provincial resources or attempt to force entry into Adiala Jail. He rejected comparisons between PTI workers and terrorists, saying the party was being provoked but its members were political workers. He added that PTI had not severed ties and remained in contact, and that it wanted its demands addressed through political and constitutional channels.

How has the government responded to the Sept. 27 Islamabad march?

The federal government has warned PTI against proceeding with the protest. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said Monday that authorities would use all legal options to prevent disruption in Islamabad. He said they would strictly implement an Islamabad High Court order concerning the protest.

PTI has repeatedly said the march will remain peaceful and within the Constitution and law. The party has been preparing a central convoy from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with supporters from other parts of the country expected to join the mobilization.