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The PTI long march has started, and Pakistan’s politics has entered a tense new phase. On October 4, 2026, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi launched the march from Lakki Marwat. The main demand is the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.
The launch came just hours after talks between the government and the opposition ended without a deal. The federal government says marchers will not be allowed into Islamabad. So the question now is simple. Will this long march towards Islamabad end in a deal, or in another clash?
PTI Long March Begins From Lakki Marwat on the Indus Highway
The march began at Gandi Chowk on the Peshawar to Karachi Indus Highway. Afridi reached the venue by helicopter, and workers had already gathered there. Caravans from Bannu, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, North Waziristan and South Waziristan joined the main convoy. A separate convoy left Dera Ismail Khan under Ali Amin Gandapur. PTI said the march was moving forward in instalments.
The route passes through Karak, Kohat, Peshawar and Charsadda. Afridi announced that the convoy will reach Khairabad on October 8. He said the party will announce its next step there. The march was first planned for September 27. PTI postponed it to October 4 to give talks a chance.
Imran Khan Release: Why PTI Is Marching Towards Islamabad
PTI calls this a peaceful and constitutional protest. The core demand is the release of Imran Khan, who is held in Adiala jail. The party also wants his legal rights respected and proper medical treatment for him. It is asking for the release of his sisters as well.
Access to Imran Khan became the sharpest point in the talks. Opposition leaders said they could not finalise key decisions, or call off the march, before meeting him. PTI leader Asad Qaiser said the talks collapsed because the government was reluctant to allow the party leadership to see its founder.
Govt PTI Talks Fail: What Went Wrong
Two rounds of talks were held at Parliament House in Islamabad. National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq chaired them, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi played a key role. At one stage, reports said a draft understanding was ready. Then the deadlock returned.
Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai refused to call off the march before meeting Imran Khan. He said only Imran Khan and Sohail Afridi had the authority to end it. The two sides also differed on counterterrorism measures in terror hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
After the march began, Naqvi blamed Afridi. He said the chief minister kept changing an agreed draft. Naqvi also said the government had made it clear that talks would end once the march started. Afridi’s side says its negotiating committee went to Islamabad to lower the political temperature.
Section 144 in KP and Governor Rule Talk: Govt Says No Entry Into Islamabad
The federal government has been clear. Protesters will not be allowed to enter Islamabad. Heavy security has been deployed along the planned route, and Section 144 has been imposed on several roads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Some ministers have also raised the possibility of governor’s rule or an emergency in the province.
The government says PTI created a law and order problem every time it entered the capital. On October 3, the army’s top brass warned that any situation like May 9 would be dealt with decisive force. PTI insists its march is peaceful.
There is a side row too. KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi criticised Afridi for using an official helicopter to reach Lakki Marwat.
Sohail Afridi Leads From the Front: KP Chief Minister’s Message
Afridi became chief minister in October 2025 and has been openly critical of the federal government. At Lakki Marwat he said the party would not accept any policy against the interests of KP and the Pashtun people. He said the southern districts have carried the burden of terrorism and military operations for years. He also criticized those who support military operations and drone strikes.
Afridi said the struggle has begun and that public participation will keep growing. His position as a sitting chief minister makes this march different from earlier ones. That is why the helicopter ride and the governor’s reaction became a talking point.
Khairabad on October 8: What Happens Next in the PTI Long March
All eyes are now on Khairabad. If the convoy reaches it on October 8 as planned, Afridi will announce the next phase. PTI may push on towards Islamabad. It may pause if talks restart. Or the government may try to stop the convoy before it gets there.
The two positions leave little room for a middle path. The government says there will be no entry into Islamabad. PTI says the march will not be called off without a meeting with Imran Khan. Three things are worth watching: whether talks resume, whether security forces block the route, and whether the government acts on its governor’s rule talk.
Lessons From the November 2024 PTI Protest
This is not PTI’s first march towards Islamabad. The November 2024 protest ended with clashes and a security crackdown, and none of PTI’s demands were met. The two sides still dispute the casualty figures from that protest. That history helps explain the heavy security and the tough language this time.
Published By
The Khilafat Times
