PTI long march reaches Khyber as Afridi rejects new military operation

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Wednesday rejected any new military operation in the former tribal areas as the PTI long march reached Khyber district on its fourth day. He alleged he was asked to endorse one in exchange for assurances on Imran Khan's health.

Where is the PTI long march now?

The PTI long march is in Khyber district, its fourth day on the road. The convoy has passed through Lakki Marwat, Karak, Kohat, Peshawar and Khyber, and is expected to stay overnight before returning to Peshawar on Thursday. Party leaders say reaching Islamabad could take at least a week.

The convoy, led by Afridi, left Peshawar for Khyber on Wednesday. The march began on Oct. 4 in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and demands the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and access to medical treatment.

What did Sohail Afridi say about the military operation?

Addressing party workers in Khyber, Afridi said he had been asked to endorse a new military operation in exchange for assurances about Khan's health and treatment in jail. He said he refused and called the existing security policy a failure.

He said his government would present an alternative security strategy to restore peace within 100 days. Afridi rejected claims that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was not cooperating in efforts to combat militancy, and he questioned why Balochistan had not achieved peace despite what he described as sufficient cooperation from its provincial government.

Afridi also said the former tribal districts were administratively merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2018 but had not been fully integrated financially. He claimed the province was being denied an annual share of 100 billion rupees.

What are the PTI long march's demands and next steps?

The march followed the collapse of talks between PTI and the federal government. Before it began, Afridi unveiled a charter of demands calling for political dialogue and legal, medical and visitation rights for Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. It also called for greater coordination between the federal and provincial governments to address militancy.

Afridi said the march would continue to Swabi, where he would announce the party's next course of action. "The plan after Swabi will shatter everyone's dreams," he warned.

After returning to Peshawar on Thursday, the convoy is expected to move toward Charsadda and then either Nowshera or Swabi. PTI workers are expected to join along the route from across the province.