Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan ’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party will reportedly proceed with its planned long march to Islamabad after the failure of talks with the federal government.
The PTI had initially planned to begin the march on September 27 but postponed it to October 4 after the government announced measures to prevent the protest.
Government warns protesters against entering Islamabad
He is currently held at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi . Other demands include the release of Khan’s sisters and others arrested ahead of the protest, a medical examination of his wife Bushra Bibi and proper hearings in their cases without interference. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is governed by the PTI, and the planned march is scheduled to begin from the province. The talks also broke down over access to Khan. The PTI, however, insisted that its leaders should be allowed to meet Khan before taking a decision on the protest. The caravan which is organised will halt near Karak for the night. Participants will stay near Kohat at overnight. “The remaining constituencies of Peshawar will join us at Kohat Road Bridge and the Motorway Toll Plaza. Afridi did not provide details of the final stage towards Islamabad . The government has warned that the protesters will not be allowed to enter the capital.
A key demand of the party is an immediate meeting with Imran Khan, who has been in jail since 2023 following his conviction in a corruption case. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi announced at 12:46 am that the protest would go ahead. Participants will leave at 12.30pm the following day. On October 6, protesters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai will join at noon before the convoy moves towards Peshawar and halts near Mattani. The protesters will leave Charsadda Interchange at 12.30pm on October 8 after supporters from Charsadda and Mohmand join them. He said people from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would gather at Khairabad on October 8, where the next phase of the march would be announced. The government had earlier said it would block roads leading to Islamabad with shipping containers and deploy additional security personnel to prevent the protesters from reaching the capital. (With inputs from PTI) Earlier reporting noted: Pakistan braces for showdown as talks collapse, Imran Khan’s party pushes ahead with march Imran Khan has been incarcerated since 2023. Earlier reporting noted: PTI had initially planned to start the long march on September 27 but postponed it to October 4 after the federal government introduced measures aimed at preventing the protest.
The party has also sought decision for Khan to be taken to a hospital so that his personal doctors can examine the 73 year-old former Pakistan cricket team captain.
Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, who was part of the government delegation, said the negotiations failed mainly over the role of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in tackling terrorism. The government wanted the PTI to first announce the cancellation of the protest before deciding on a meeting with its jailed leader, according to sources. Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan leader Senator Allama Nasir Abbas said the issue remained unresolved. “No understanding could be reached regarding the respective roles of the province and the federal government concerning terrorism in the province, and the matter of a meeting with Imran Khan remains unresolved,” Abbas, said. Sherry Rehman , leader of Pakistan Peoples Party, who also a part of the negotiations, said the government delegation had discussed all the issues raised by the opposition. “Unfortunately, the draft (agreement) was changed four times after it was agreed upon,” she told Geo News, while denying details. And we will spend the night near Charsadda Interchange,” he said as cited by PTI. “God willing, the plan for the next phase will be announced there,” Afridi said. Political adviser to prime minister Shehbaz Sharif , Rana Sanaullah, said, “No one would be allowed to enter Islamabad,” while speaking to reporters.
Earlier reporting noted: Pakistan’s opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party will proceed with its planned long march towards Islamabad after a second round of talks with the government ended without a deal on access to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan . The second round of negotiations between government representatives and PTI leaders began at 4pm on Saturday and it extended through the night but failed to make any decision, news agency PTI reported. He said supporters from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan , North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat would join the march from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on Sunday afternoon. Afridi said the caravan would leave Budh Bair in Peshawar on Wednesday afternoon.
“We endeavored to reach a conclusion, but the deadlock persists — specifically regarding access to Khan Sahib’s personal physician,” the leader of opposition in the Senate added.
