Sohail Afridi announces Islamabad march plan amid govt-PTI talks

PESHAWAR: Amid ongoing negotiations between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced that the party’s long march on Islamabad would begin from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on October 4.

Addressing workers at a fundraising event at the PTI secretariat in Peshawar, Sohail Afridi said the long march would set off with full force on October 4, urging party workers to participate with full preparations.

Afridi said he would personally lead the convoy, with the first stop planned in Karak. The march would reach Kohat on October 5 and Matni, near Peshawar, on the night of October 6, according to the plan announced by the chief minister.

The convoy would leave Peshawar on the morning of October 7, he said, adding that a detailed plan would be shared with party workers on Friday night.

Afridi urged workers, particularly those from the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to participate in the march, saying the protest would remain peaceful and workers should not allow any disorder.

The announcement came as the government and PTI held talks in Islamabad on Friday in an effort to defuse tensions over the planned march.

The talks ended without an agreement, with both sides presenting their positions and agreeing to resume negotiations on Saturday.

The first round of negotiations was held at noon, while a second round took place after Friday prayers. The talks were chaired by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

After the talks, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the negotiations were held in a good atmosphere and that the talks were moving in the right direction.

He said the PTI had presented its demands to the government, which had listened to its position, and expressed hope that the talks would produce a positive outcome.

The next round of talks will be held at 2pm on Saturday in the National Assembly speaker’s chamber, according to the National Assembly Secretariat.

PTI demands and next round

PTI’s negotiating team includes Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Asad Qaiser, Salman Akram Raja, Amir Dogar and Haleem Adil Sheikh.

The government delegation includes Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry and representatives of the PPP, including Senator Sherry Rehman, Naveed Qamar and Aijaz Jakhrani.

According to reports emerging after Friday’s talks, the PTI raised political and legal issues, including the shifting of PTI founder Imran Khan to a hospital, while the government demanded to call off or defer the planned march.

The two sides will meet again at 2pm on Saturday, while the PTI’s call for the October 4 march remains intact, with no agreement announced to postpone or cancel it.

The march therefore remains a central issue in the negotiations between the government and PTI.