Peshawar, October 6,2026: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Tuesday led the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest convoy from Kohat towards Peshawar as the party continued its long march demanding the release of jailed PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
The convoy was scheduled to spend the night in the Mattani area on the outskirts of Peshawar before proceeding with the next phase of the march. PTI had earlier announced that the caravan would reach Khairabad, on the KP-Punjab border, on October 8, where the next course of action would be announced.
Addressing supporters at University Chowk in Kohat before setting out, Afridi criticised the federal government’s counterterrorism policy and said the PTI had used legal and constitutional means to pursue its demands.
He said the party would continue its protest peacefully and maintained that the Constitution allowed peaceful protest when people were not provided justice through other means.
Afridi also said he was not afraid of anyone and claimed that the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa wanted their issues resolved through the provincial government’s policies. He criticised the continuation of military operations in the province, saying terrorism remained a major challenge.
The chief minister said he had shared his demands with the opposition team that had negotiated with the government and maintained that he would abandon the long march if any of his demands were found to be unconstitutional or illegal.
Afridi also expressed concern over reports about Imran Khan’s health in jail and warned that the relevant authorities would be held responsible if the PTI founder suffered any harm.
Earlier, KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said the PTI long march would not be allowed to proceed beyond Attock in Punjab, which borders Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking to a television programme, Kundi challenged the PTI to attempt to move beyond Attock, saying the party did not have the capacity to take the march further.
He also questioned the security arrangements of the protest and raised concerns that individuals seeking to exploit the march for militant activities could potentially join the procession.
Kundi criticised the PTI-led provincial government over its response to terrorism and said political activity should not come at the expense of public security.
The governor also said that if the president and prime minister decided that governor’s rule was necessary in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial authorities would implement the decision. He described governor’s rule as a last resort.
Kundi’s remarks came amid heightened political tensions following the collapse of talks between the federal government and opposition parties over the PTI’s planned march.
The PTI launched the first phase of its march from Lakki Marwat on October 4 after negotiations with the federal government ended without an agreement. The talks included representatives of the government, Pakistan Peoples Party and opposition parties and focused on several issues, including counterterrorism policy.
The convoy subsequently travelled through Karak and reached Kohat on Monday, where Afridi told supporters that the protest would require sustained mobilisation and endurance.
Under the original schedule, the march is to move through Peshawar and Charsadda before reaching Khairabad on October 8. The PTI has said the next phase of the march will be announced there.
The federal government has warned that the PTI will not be permitted to hold gatherings in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has separately invited the PTI to resume political dialogue if it ends the long march, warning that prolonged protests and sit-ins could adversely affect economic activity.
The PTI, meanwhile, has maintained that its protest is peaceful and constitutional and has continued to demand negotiations on its stated grievances.
