Islamabad: The PTI decided on Friday to postpone its nationwide march towards Islamabad from September 27 to October 4, when protesters are now expected to leave from Peshawar to demand the release of party founder and chairman Imran Khan.

A senior PTI leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi would formally announce the revised schedule soon.

The leader said one reason for the postponement was to prolong pressure on the federal government and law enforcement agencies, which have already blocked roads and mobilised personnel across Islamabad and Rawalpindi. He said the party had partly achieved its objective by prompting extensive security preparations and government spending ahead of the original date.

The PTI leader said the decision was unrelated to Jamaat e Islami’s postponement of its march against the petroleum levy, adding that PTI could organise its protest independently.

The development followed conflicting statements within the party over whether the march could be delayed. PTI lawyer Naeem Haider Panjutha had said a postponement was possible if the government agreed to hold elections within six to eight months, release Imran Khan and other political prisoners and investigate the events of May 9 and November 26.

Party spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram rejected the suggestion that such a proposal was under consideration, saying only Imran Khan could authorise a postponement. Khan remains imprisoned at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.

Authorities had intensified security arrangements before the scheduled march. Punjab imposed a 13 day restriction on public gatherings, while Section 144 banning public gatherings of more than five people remains in force in Islamabad for two months.

The federal government also authorised the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad and several Punjab districts from September 20 to October 5. Punjab requested restrictions on mobile and internet services at selected locations in Rawalpindi and Attock on September 27.

It was not immediately clear whether these security and communication measures would be withdrawn following the postponement.