PTI long march reaches Peshawar as Afridi vows ‘no turning back’ at Swabi

The PTI long march reached Peshawar on Thursday, its fifth day, as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi vowed there would be "no turning back" at Swabi. The party launched the march toward Islamabad on Oct. 4 to demand jailed founder Imran Khan's release.

Where is the PTI long march headed after Peshawar?

The convoy will spend Thursday night in Peshawar and head to Charsadda on Friday. It is then expected to pass through Mardan and reach Swabi on Oct. 11 or 12, where Afridi is expected to announce the party's final course of action.

PTI supporters from across the province are expected to join the procession. Mobile phone services and educational institutions have remained shut in areas along the route as part of security measures.

Why did the PTI long march begin?

PTI launched the march on Oct. 4 from southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after negotiations between the party and the federal government broke down. It is demanding Khan's release and access to medical treatment. Khan has been jailed since August 2023 in a series of cases and remains the party's central figure.

The convoy, led by Afridi, has passed through Lakki Marwat, Karak, Kohat, Peshawar and Khyber district. It left Khyber district for Peshawar on Thursday.

What did Sohail Afridi say in Peshawar?

Addressing party workers, Afridi linked the march to Khan's call for "real freedom" and said the convoy would not turn back once it reached Swabi. He also cited economic and security conditions during Khan's government, claiming per capita income had reached $1,700 and gross domestic product growth stood at 6.1%.

Afridi said those gains had since been reversed. He claimed that 48% of Pakistan's population now lives below the poverty line, earning less than $3 a day.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi leading the PTI long march.Nukta

The chief minister said negotiations with the federal government had failed. He claimed authorities had proposed allowing a military operation and imposing a temporary emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and said he rejected the proposal, responding, "absolutely not."

What has PTI said about governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?

PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar separately urged party workers to gather outside the Governor House if they receive word that governor's rule or an emergency has been imposed in the province.

"Do not wait for anyone to lead you in such circumstances. The people have given their mandate to Khan in the province, and it will be his nominated chief minister or no one," he said.