PTI long march begins from Lakki Marwat as Sanaullah warns against Islamabad entry
Sanaullah warns PTI against entering Islamabad
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has warned that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march will not be allowed to enter Islamabad. His statement came after talks between the government and opposition ended without an agreement.
"The long march will not be allowed to enter the limits of Islamabad," Sanaullah said. He added that the government would use the law to stop any attempt to create disorder.
Sanaullah said the government had revised the draft agreement two or three times during negotiations. However, he claimed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was still unwilling to cooperate with the federal government in counterterrorism efforts.
Terrorism remains the main point of disagreement
Sanaullah said the provincial government must fulfil its constitutional and legal responsibilities in the fight against terrorism. He described cooperation on security matters as a non-negotiable condition for reaching an agreement.
"The refusal to cooperate against terrorism is not acceptable in any way. That is why an agreement could not be reached," he said. He also stressed that the federal government would not step back from efforts to combat terrorism.
The adviser said the two sides had also discussed meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan and matters related to his medical treatment. He described these issues as less important than the disagreement over counterterrorism cooperation.
"The provincial government must fulfil its constitutional and legal responsibility against terrorism," Sanaullah said. He added that meetings with Imran Khan and his medical treatment would continue to be handled under the law and jail rules.
"If you do not use the meetings for political purposes, we will not create any hurdle," Sanaullah said. He also indicated that the government was willing to resume talks if PTI and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government agreed to cooperate on security.
PTI announces march route from Lakki Marwat
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced that the PTI long march would begin from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat at 1pm on Sunday. Participants from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat were expected to join the convoy.
According to Afridi’s announcement on X, the marchers would spend Sunday night near Karak. Participants from Karak would then join the convoy on Monday before it moved towards Kohat, Peshawar and Charsadda.
Afridi said PTI supporters from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would gather at Khairabad on October 8. The party would announce its next course of action at that stage.
Government leaves door open for further talks
Sanaullah said the federal government remained ready to restart negotiations if PTI and the provincial government were willing to cooperate against terrorism. He said discussions could resume at any time if the required conditions were met.
"If they are ready to play their role in the fight against terrorism, they can come today, tomorrow or the day after," he said. However, he confirmed that no date had been set for another round of talks.
The adviser added that the government was considering different options depending on the situation. Any final decision would be made after consultations with relevant stakeholders.
The PTI long march is moving ahead despite the failure of talks with the federal government. The main disagreement concerns cooperation against terrorism, while the government has also warned against attempts to enter Islamabad.
The coming days will be important as the convoy moves through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the two sides decide whether to resume negotiations. The situation will depend on the march’s progress, the government’s response and whether both sides can find common ground on security issues.
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