PESHAWAR – The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has postponed its planned long march towards Islamabad on September 27, and now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has announced that the protest will now begin from Peshawar on October 4.

The announcement comes after days of uncertainty over the PTI’s planned march amid tight security measures, road closures and restrictions around Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Chief Minister Afridi said that the future strategy of the party has been finalized and the workers will start the march from Peshawar on the newly announced date.

The decision comes amid a delay of more than a week from the original schedule of September 27. Reports had earlier indicated that the PTI’s political committee was considering changing the date after reviewing the current situation and the government’s security arrangements.

The Long March will do anything

Before announcing the postponement, Afridi struck a tough tone during a press conference in Peshawar, insisting that the PTI’s long march would go ahead despite obstacles along the way.

“Whether the government puts nails, plants containers or opens fire, God willing, we will get out,” he declared, adding that the party wanted to end the “fake system” and “corrupt rulers” “once and for all”.

The KP Chief Minister also accused provincial ministers of abduction and claimed that unknown persons in plain clothes were involved in firing and abduction. He said that there is a need to seriously consider the country’s situation.

He also raised questions over what he called a ban on PTI leaders appearing in the media. Afridi said that PTI parliamentary leader Shahid Khattak was allegedly barred from appearing in the media despite being a representative from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He further claimed that the KP Information Minister has also been banned from the media.

“I have just received information that the coverage of the KP Chief Minister has also been stopped. What does this mean?” he asked.

The Chief Minister also criticized the shutdown of government work at the KP Secretariat, alleging that government work has been halted by what he termed a fake security threat. He argued that the secretariat falls within the cantonment area and questioned the basis of restrictions.