PTI decides to postpone Sept 27 Islamabad long march
PTI postpones Islamabad long march
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership has decided to postpone its planned long march towards Islamabad, which was scheduled for September 27.
The decision comes after days of preparations for a nationwide protest and march aimed at pressing for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
The party’s formal announcement regarding the postponement is expected to be made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
Why did PTI delay the march?
According to the senior PTI leader, the party considered postponing the protest after authorities stepped up security measures and blocked several routes leading to the federal capital.
“There was a proposal to exhaust the federal government and law enforcement agencies, as they have already closed down the federal capital and several routes,” he said.
The leader claimed that the PTI had already achieved some of its objectives through preparations and the pressure surrounding the planned march.
“They have closed down roads and are spending hundreds of millions on law enforcement,” he noted.
The remarks came as authorities increased security arrangements in Islamabad and several parts of Punjab ahead of the previously scheduled September 27 protest.
PTI says decision is not linked to JI protest
The PTI leader also rejected any suggestion that the postponement was connected to the Jamaat-i-Islami’s (JI) decision regarding its own protest.
The JI had postponed its planned protest against the petroleum levy following a request from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Asked whether PTI planned to join forces with the JI, the senior leader said the party was capable of organising the march independently.
“We are capable of arranging the march on our own,” he said.
The statement indicated that PTI’s decision regarding its Islamabad march was a separate party decision.
PTI demands remain central to march
The planned march had been linked to several demands, including the release of Imran Khan and other political prisoners.
A day before the postponement, PTI leader and lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha had indicated that the party could consider delaying the protest if the federal government accepted certain demands.
These included holding elections within six to eight months, releasing Imran Khan and other political prisoners, and investigating the May 9 and November 26 crackdowns on the PTI. Panjutha said that the protest could be postponed if the government provided assurances on these issues.
However, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram had denied that such a proposal was being discussed at any party forum. He had also said that only Imran Khan could make a final decision on postponing the march.
Security preparations had already intensified
The decision to postpone the march came after extensive security preparations in Islamabad and the Rawalpindi Division. Authorities had been preparing for possible protests, rallies and other gatherings in the capital and surrounding areas.
Also Read: PTI calls for dialogue, warns of consequences ahead of long march
The measures included restrictions on public gatherings, the deployment of security personnel and preparations to deal with possible law-and-order situations. The federal government had also approved the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Islamabad and several districts of Punjab from September 20 to October 5.
Section 144 imposed in Islamabad and Punjab
Section 144 had been imposed in Islamabad for two months amid preparations for the PTI march and other planned protests.
The order prohibited gatherings, processions, rallies and demonstrations in public places across the federal capital. Punjab had also imposed restrictions on gatherings across the province for 13 days.
The measures were introduced as authorities prepared for possible protests and sought to maintain public order. The Islamabad administration had urged citizens to cooperate with security agencies and avoid activities prohibited under the restrictions.
Internet restrictions were also requested
The Punjab government had requested the federal interior ministry to downgrade or jam mobile and internet services at specific locations in Rawalpindi and Attock on September 27.
The request was linked to the expected law-and-order situation surrounding the planned protest. The move was part of broader security preparations in areas considered important for the movement of protesters towards Islamabad.
Rangers deployed ahead of PTI protest
The federal government had approved the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Islamabad and several Punjab districts ahead of the PTI march.
According to the Interior Ministry notification, the deployment was authorised from September 20 to October 5. The notification said the troops could respond in self-defence to threats or violent activities encountered while performing their duties.
“The deployed troops may respond appropriately in self-defence to any threats or violent activities encountered in the course of their duties as per rules/regulations in vogue,” the notification stated.
The Punjab government had separately requested Rangers deployment in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali to assist provincial police in maintaining law and order.
What happens after the postponement?
According to the PTI leader quoted in the report, the planned September 27 march will no longer take place on that date, with the new schedule set for October 4. The march is expected to leave from Peshawar before heading towards Islamabad.
The postponement would give authorities additional time to review and adjust security arrangements in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other areas along possible protest routes. The party’s formal announcement and details of its revised strategy are expected to clarify how the October 4 march will be organised.
