Long march: PTI's convoy departs from DI Khan

PTI workers and supporters, led by former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, set out from Dera Ismail Khan on Sunday for the party’s long march, which is being carried out to demand the release of jailed party founder and ex-prime minister Imran Khan. Meanwhile, the caravan led by incumbent KP CM Sohail Afridi has yet to begin its trek from Lakki Marwat. Before departing from DI Khan, Gandapur stressed that the protest should remain peaceful and urged the participants to maintain discipline and refrain from violence, vandalism and confrontation with law enforcement personnel. He said the party would follow a policy of “live and let live” during the protest and directed workers not to take the law into their hands. “Those who block roads or engage in confrontation are not our workers,” Gandapur said, asking the participants to remain peaceful throughout the march. He further urged the participants to avoid any activity that could lead to clashes or damage to public or private property. Describing the march as a continuation of the party’s political struggle, Gandapur said it represented a reaffirmation of the party’s commitment to PTI founder Imran. “We have made sacrifices for Imran Khan before and will not hesitate to make further sacrifices,” he said, adding that the party would continue its “peaceful political struggle” for Imran’s release. The convoy, according to Gandapur, would travel through Yarik and Pezu before reaching Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat. Meanwhile in the Peshawar-Karachi Highway near Serai Naurang in Gandi Chowk, PTI workers had started gathering on Sunday afternoon to participate in the long march. Strict security measures were in place, with a large police contingent deployed at the site along with armoured personnel carriers and bomb disposal squads. Special Assistant to the KP chief minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Tariq Saad told journalists at his residence that, in accordance with the PTI leadership’s decision, the “peaceful long” march would commence from Gandi Chowk today, with convoys from the southern districts joining it. He said PTI workers from Bannu, DI Khan, Tank, North Waziristan and South Waziristan would gather at Gandi Chowk to participate in the march. “If workers from some southern districts, especially Tank and Waziristan, could not attend the long march today due to law and order-related curfew and other restrictions, they would join the movement on the way to Peshawar the next day,” he said. The PTI’s march, being carried out to demand the release of its jailed founder and ex-prime minister Imran Khan, is the latest bone of contention between the two sides. In August, the PTI announced the long march to Islamabad on Sept 27 against what it called the “illegal imprisonment” of its party founder. However, a couple of days before its scheduled long march, the party postponed the march until Oct 4 (today). Meanwhile, federal ministers have warned that the Centre would have no option but to impose governor’s rule or an emergency in KP, citing the province’s security situation and the protest call, while PTI has warned of dire consequences if such a step was taken. After weekend talks, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has further warned that the protesters will not be allowed to enter Islamabad. Plan for the march According to the plan for the march shared by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on X, PTI supporters from the districts of Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Bannu will join the long march from Lakki Marwat’s Gandi Chowk Lakki Marwat on Oct 4. The caravan will halt for the night near Karak, from where people will depart at 12:30pm the next day and stay overnight near Kohat. Then, at 12pm on Oct 6, protesters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram, and Orakzai will join the convoy, which will move towards Peshawar and spend the night near Mattani. The caravan will depart from Budh Bair in Peshawar on Oct 7 afternoon. “The remaining constituencies of Peshawar will join us at Kohat Road Bridge and the Motorway Toll Plaza. And we will spend the night near Charsadda Interchange,” the KP CM said. They would then depart the Charsadda Interchange at 12:30pm on Oct 8 after people from Charsadda and Mohmand join them. Refraining from detailing the final leg of the trip to the federal capital, Afridi said the people “of entire KP” would gather at Khairabad on Oct 8 and spend the night there. “God willing, the plan for the next phase will be announced there.” Ahead of the march, movement on several roads on KP has been banned under Section 144. More to follow