Sohail Afridi to announce ‘final plan’ in Charsadda as PTI long march leaves Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday he would announce the next course of action for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) long march in Charsadda on Friday, as marchers left Peshawar on Friday evening.

Addressing marchers at Bakshi Pul in Peshawar, Afridi thanked the city’s residents for their participation, saying the enthusiasm and turnout had remained strong as the procession moved from one part of the city to another.

“I have travelled from one end of Peshawar to the other, but there has been no decline in the enthusiasm and participation of the people,” he said.

Afridi urged supporters to listen to his announcement in Charsadda, where the convoy is scheduled to arrive later in the night.

He said he would announce a final plan in Swabi, describing it as a move that would keep his political opponents awake.

The march, being led by Afridi, resumed from Peshawar with provincial party leaders, parliamentary representatives and other PTI figures accompanying the chief minister on the container.

A large number of supporters and party workers are participating in the procession, carrying Pakistani and PTI flags as well as photographs of the party’s incarcerated founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.

As the PTI long march reached the Northern Bypass on Charsadda Road, its final stop in Peshawar, Sohail Afridi briefly addressed participants and thanked supporters for their enthusiastic welcome.

The procession departed from Khazana in Peshawar and is scheduled to reach Charsadda at night, where participants will stay overnight.

During its stay in Charsadda, Afridi is expected to address supporters at several locations before announcing the next stage of the protest.

As the PTI’s long march moved towards Charsadda, it entered the sixth day since it began on October 4, after spending Thursday night at several points in Peshawar, where mobile phone and internet signals remained down across much of the city.

The convoy left Khyber district on Thursday, and the marchers camped at various spots in the city. Sohail Afridi arrived separately at Kabootar Chowk around midnight, addressed the gathering and left, while workers stayed on.

According to the schedule issued for the caravan, Afridi will address a rally at Farooq-e-Azam Chowk in Charsadda at 2pm on Saturday.