Peshawar: PTI says its October 4 protest march towards Islamabad will proceed, with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi leading the procession from southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite ongoing negotiations with the government.
Provincial information secretary Shaukat Yousafzai said on Friday that preparations had been completed and a shortage of resources would not prevent the march.
“The march on October 4 will take place at any cost,” he said.
According to Yousafzai, PTI provincial president and National Assembly member Junaid Akbar Khan will lead the procession from Malakand Division. Convoys from the southern districts, Peshawar, Malakand and Hazara will converge in Swabi before heading towards Islamabad.
The announcement comes as the government and opposition pursue talks aimed at easing the confrontation over the planned protest. Their first round concluded on Friday, with both sides agreeing to resume discussions on Saturday.
Yousafzai described the opening negotiations as encouraging but said their success would depend on the government’s approach. Both sides had presented their positions, he added.
He identified the party’s demands as access to jailed founder Imran Khan, his transfer to a hospital and early hearings of his cases.
Yousafzai also described PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as a mature and conciliatory leader capable of finding a way forward through negotiations.
However, he rejected suggestions of imposing governor’s rule or an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, warning that such steps would deepen the crisis.
Federal ministers have raised those options while citing the province’s security situation and the protest call. The opposition has opposed any move against the provincial government.
Yousafzai urged the government to immediately allow a meeting with Imran Khan if it wanted to improve the situation. His statement maintained Islamabad as the march’s final destination while leaving negotiations open.
