PTI long march heads for Islamabad
Supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan are marching towards Islamabad after talks between his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the federal government collapsed, deepening political uncertainty.
March begins in Lakki Marwat
More than 5,000 people set off from Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 4, led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
The march was first planned for September 27 but was delayed to allow negotiations, which failed after two rounds. Organisers want Khan released, moved to a hospital and allowed visits from family and doctors.
Khan has been in prison since August 2023, and his party calls the cases against him politically motivated.
Government pushes back
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged PTI to abandon the march and return to talks. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi blamed Afridi for the breakdown, and Rana Sanaullah said PTI cannot hold the state hostage to its demands.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor has warned that the convoy will not be allowed beyond Attock, while authorities accuse the party of sympathising with the Pakistani Taliban.
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Security and legal pressure
The march comes amid a surge in militant attacks in the northwest. Afridi has told supporters he will not allow military operations in Khyber, while police have booked dozens of PTI activists in Punjab.
Lawyers have backed the march, and opposition leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai says there should be no more talks before Khan is met. With both sides hardening positions, the coming days will test whether the convoy reaches the capital.
