— Sohail Afridi says PTI will march from Peshawar despite arrests, containers and security measures; Rangers deployed in Islamabad and Punjab while HRCP urges government to de-escalate political tensions
By Irum Saleem
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday announced that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) planned long march towards Islamabad had been postponed from Sept 27 to Oct 4, setting the stage for another week of political confrontation between the opposition party and the government.
Mr Afridi said the PTI’s political committee had met and “unanimously agreed” that the march would now set off from Peshawar on Oct 4. The decision came amid extensive security measures, road closures and restrictions imposed by the federal and Punjab governments ahead of the previously announced Sept 27 protest.
Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, the KP chief minister said the party’s struggle was aimed at what he described as the “supremacy of the Constitution”, restoration of an independent judiciary, media freedom and “Haqiqi Azadi” as envisioned by PTI founder Imran Khan.
He insisted that the PTI would proceed with its march despite the government’s preparations to block routes and contain the protest.
“Whether they hammer nails into the roads, place containers or fire bullets, the PTI will hold the Islamabad march,” he said, adding that the party would not retreat from its demand for Mr Khan’s release and medical treatment.
The PTI has been mobilising supporters for a nationwide protest and march towards the federal capital, with the release of its incarcerated founder at the centre of its demands.
Security measures intensify
The postponement came as authorities had already significantly tightened security around Islamabad and parts of Punjab.
The federal government has authorised the deployment of Pakistan Rangers in Islamabad and several Punjab districts from Sept 20 to Oct 5. The notification allows the deployed personnel to respond in self-defence to threats or violent activities in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations.
The Punjab government has separately sought Rangers deployment in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali to assist police in maintaining law and order.
Section 144 has also been imposed in Punjab, restricting public gatherings, processions and assemblies. The restrictions include a ban on gatherings of five or more people at public places, roads and open spaces, according to the government notification.
The Punjab Home Department has additionally asked the federal government to downgrade or suspend mobile and internet services at specified locations in Rawalpindi and across Attock on Sept 27 because of the expected law-and-order situation. The request does not cover the whole of Punjab.
Major routes connecting Islamabad with Punjab and KP have also come under heightened security, with containers being placed at strategic points.
PTI sees road closures as political pressure
A senior PTI leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the decision to defer the march was linked partly to the extensive security measures already taken by the government.
According to the leader, there had been a proposal to “exhaust” the federal government and law-enforcement agencies by keeping them engaged in security preparations, particularly as the capital and several routes had already been heavily secured.
He claimed that the PTI had already achieved one of its objectives by forcing the authorities to deploy large numbers of personnel and block roads.
The government, however, has maintained that the security arrangements are intended to preserve law and order and prevent violence. Government representatives have also said that Islamabad will not be allowed to be overrun by protesters.
The postponement therefore does not appear to end the confrontation; instead, it gives both sides additional time to prepare for a potentially tense Oct 4 mobilisation.
Arrests add another layer of tension
The political standoff has also been accompanied by arrests and preventive detention of PTI leaders and workers.
All three of Mr Khan’s sisters — Aleema, Uzma and Noreen — have been detained, while PTI has reported further arrests of party workers and supporters ahead of the planned protest. Aleema Khan was detained earlier this month under a 30-day.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed concern over the arrests and preventive detention of PTI workers, lawmakers and leaders ahead of the planned march.
The rights watchdog has repeatedly called for political dialogue and cautioned against excessive restrictions on peaceful assembly and arbitrary detention. Its recent work on freedom of assembly has documented concerns over the use of preventive detention, arrests and other restrictions against political protesters.
A week to cool tensions — or escalate them
The new Oct 4 date provides the government and PTI with another window for political engagement before the confrontation moves to the streets.
For the government, the immediate challenge is to maintain law and order without allowing security measures to further intensify political tensions. For the PTI, the challenge will be to mobilise supporters while keeping the promised protest within the bounds of peaceful political activity.
With Rangers already deployed, routes restricted, Section 144 in force and possible communications curbs under consideration, the political temperature is likely to remain high through the coming days.
The postponement has therefore changed the date, but not the substance of the confrontation: the PTI continues to demand Imran Khan’s release, while the government is preparing to prevent a march on the federal capital.
