October 5: Thousands of supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan set off from Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday at the start of a five-day march towards Islamabad. The province’s chief minister, Sohail Afridi, who is leading the march, told the crowd: “We are not ‘yes-men’; we are soldiers of Imran Khan.” The federal government says the march will not be allowed into the capital. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned that those who break the law will be pursued “one by one”. No arrests or clashes were reported on the first day.
Key highlights
- Start: The march left Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on Sunday, October 4. Al Jazeera put the opening crowd at more than 5,000.
- Destination for now: Khairabad, about 50 miles (80 km) west of Islamabad, where the convoy is due on Thursday, October 8.
- What happens there: Afridi says the “next phase” will be announced at Khairabad.
- Government line: Naqvi said the talks “have collapsed” and that anyone joining a sit-in would face trial if they broke the law, The News reported.
- Restrictions: Section 144, which bans gatherings, is in force in several districts of the province until October 10, according to Dawn.
What happened on day one
Dawn reported that convoys from Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Tank and the Waziristan districts gathered at Gandi Chowk on the Indus Highway. Afridi arrived by helicopter. Former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur led the convoy from Dera Ismail Khan. The first night’s halt was planned near Karak.
Afridi used his speech to defend the provincial government’s position on security, which was the main sticking point in the failed talks. “We will eradicate terrorism, and if our policy is implemented, we will restore peace within 100 days,” he said, as quoted by Dawn.
Gandapur urged supporters to keep the march peaceful. “Those who block roads or engage in confrontation are not our workers,” he said.
Police were deployed in large numbers along the route with armoured vehicles and bomb disposal squads, Dawn reported. In Dera Ismail Khan, movement on specified routes was banned from 6am to 6pm, and cargo vehicles were restricted in the Waziristan districts.
What the government is saying
Naqvi accused Afridi of sabotaging the negotiations, The News reported. Al Jazeera quoted him as saying: “If they violate the orders … we will pursue them one by one. This time, we want to ensure that these repeated episodes … come to an end.”
The government is relying on an Islamabad High Court order of September 14 that bars political parties from occupying public roads and buildings, according to Al Jazeera. Shipping containers remain in place on the main roads into the capital.
A second row has opened over Afridi’s helicopter. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the use of a state helicopter for the march was a “violation of the Islamabad High Court’s orders”, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi called it contempt of court, Dawn reported.
The route, day by day
The Express Tribune published the schedule announced by Afridi:
- October 4: Start from Gandi Chowk, Lakki Marwat, with convoys from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, North and South Waziristan and Bannu. Night halt near Karak.
- October 5: Convoys from Karak join at noon. Night halt near Kohat.
- October 6: Convoys from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai join. Night halt near Matni, Peshawar.
- October 7: Departure from Peshawar, joined by Khyber district. Night halt near the Charsadda interchange.
- October 8: Convoys from Charsadda and Mohmand join. Night halt at Khairabad.
“The next phase of the long march will also be announced at Khairabad,” Afridi said, as quoted by The Express Tribune. The News reported that the party will decide its next move on Thursday. PTI has not said whether it will then try to enter Islamabad.
Why the talks failed
Two rounds of weekend talks ended without agreement. The government wanted the march called off. PTI wanted the government to allow meetings with Imran Khan in jail.
The two sides give different reasons for the breakdown. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the government had demanded that the provincial administration take responsibility for federal anti-terrorism operations, The News reported. The government says the province refused to cooperate against terrorism. Our report on the talks is here: PTI goes ahead with march after 11 hours of talks end in deadlock.
Imran Khan’s situation
Imran Khan has been in prison since August 2023. Most of his convictions have been suspended or overturned on appeal, Al Jazeera reported. His party says he needs specialist treatment for his right eye. PTI’s demands are his release and what it calls the supremacy of the constitution and the law.
James Dorsey of the National University of Singapore described Khan to Al Jazeera as “essentially a populist leader” who has real popular support.
What to watch
- Thursday at Khairabad: Whether PTI announces a push into Islamabad or a sit-in outside it.
- The courts: Whether the government moves a contempt case over the helicopter or the march itself.
- Security on the route: The march passes through districts that have seen militant attacks. Any incident would change the picture quickly.
- New talks: None are scheduled.
Background: how Islamabad became “a city of containers”.
Sources
- Dawn: “We are not yes-men”: CM Afridi launches PTI long march to Islamabad from Lakki Marwat
- Al Jazeera: Pro-Imran Khan mass rally launched after Pakistan government talks fail
- The Express Tribune: PTI begins first phase of long march amid mounting political tensions
- The News: CM Afridi-led PTI long march launched from Lakki Marwat
The International Desk covers world and Asian affairs, diplomacy and conflict, with a focus on what they mean for India. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
