PESHAWAR: A convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi entered Peshawar on Thursday evening as PTI continued its long march for a fifth consecutive day. The route plan for the march, being carried out to demand the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, has undergone multiple changes since its launch on Oct 4. While the party initially vowed to march towards Islamabad, its final destination seemingly remains tentative as the KP CM has yet to announce the plan for the trek after Oct 8. A post by the PTI’s official X account shortly after 6pm said the Afridi-led convoy had reached Hayatabad Toll Plaza in Peshawar. It also shared pictures of hundreds of supporters gathered to welcome the KP CM. “God-willing, by the time it reaches Swabi, this caravan will become the largest long march in Pakistan’s history,” the PTI asserted. Addressing supporters at the toll plaza, CM Afridi urged them to maintain their determination for the “struggle for true freedom”. “There might be some discomfort, but this pain is not greater than the pain Imran Khan sahib is enduring in jail for us,” he said. The PTI leader went on to say, “We shall not hesitate to even sacrifice [our] life for Imran Khan sahib .” While Afridi said he would announce the next plan of action after proceeding to other areas of Peshawar, he also said the public would be “thrilled” upon hearing his plan when he reaches Swabi. In a video shared by the PTI, Afridi could be seen raising slogans of “Free Imran Khan”, with supporters chanting in harmony. Ahead of the protesters’ arrival, an unannounced disruption of mobile and cellular internet services was reported since last night in several areas of the provincial capital. Long march plan The caravan seemed to be behind schedule as it was supposed to reach Hayatabad Toll Plaza by 2pm, according to the schedule for Oct 8 shared by Information Minister Shafi Jan in the morning. It will pass by Bhana Mari Chungi, Kohati Chowk at Circular Road, Jameel Chowk, Pir Zakori Bridge, Kabootar Chowk, and then plans to reach Charsadda Road. PTI’s march began from Lakki Marwat on Oct 4, from where the protesters trekked to Kohat on the second day and then camped overnight on Oct 6 in Mattani , located on the outskirts of Peshawar. It then reached Khyber on Oct 7, before proceeding towards Peshawar. According to an earlier schedule, CM Afridi was to lead his supporters to Khairabad — which borders Punjab’s Attock — on Oct 8 and announce the next plan of action there. However, the chief minister has now said the march will go all the way to Swabi, where he would announce the PTI’s next move. The Centre has warned the party against any protests or gatherings in Islamabad. However, the PTI decided to embark on the march after weekend talks with the federal government failed to bridge their differences for multiple reasons , particularly over the counterterrorism policy. The march was announced as part of the PTI’s nationwide protest, initially scheduled for Sept 27 but was later postponed to Oct 4. Gohar calls for reviewing counterterrorism policy PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said on Thursday that his party had never supported terrorism, adding that, however, the country’s counterterrorism policy needed to be reviewed in the light of changing circumstances. Gohar was speaking to the media in Charsadda, which is expected to be the next stop of the PTI’s march after Peshawar. The PTI chairperson visited the residences of KP Public Health Engineering Minister Fazal Shakoor and MNA Fazal Mohammad Khan, whom the PTI alleges were abducted by unidentified men amid reports of detentions of its workers and members ahead of the march. Gohar expressed concern over their disappearance and demanded their immediate and safe recovery. Speaking to the media at their residences, he noted that 18 days had passed since Shakoor’s alleged abduction and his family had no information about his whereabouts. He urged the relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the matter and ensure that Shakoor and Khan were recovered and reunited with their families. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan speaks to the media in Charsadda on Oct 8. — Photo by Faiz Muhammad Gohar said the “enforced disappearances” were a matter of serious concern and stressed the need for rule of law and protection of citizens’ constitutional rights. If such incidents were taking place in KP, they could also occur in other provinces, he further warned. He also rejected the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency as a solution to the prevailing situation in KP, as federal ministers continue to indicate the possible enforcement of either of the two, citing terrorism. The warning of a possible emergency or governor’s rule had come ahead of the PTI’s long march and as talks between the opposition party in the Centre and the federal government failed earlier this month. For his part, Gohar said political issues should be resolved through constitutional and democratic means. He called upon the decision-makers to respect the public mandate and elected governments. On the security situation, he asserted that the PTI, its workers and supporters had never supported terrorism. He said the party stood with the state in the fight against terrorism, but the country’s policy on the issue needed to be reviewed in light of changing circumstances. “Terrorism, whether in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan or Sindh, is against Pakistan,” he said, adding that the loss of any Pakistani’s life in the fight against terrorism was a national loss. He called for the implementation of the National Action Plan through a unified national policy rather than politicising the issue. Gohar also defended CM Afridi, saying he had never issued a statement in support of terrorists. He criticised what he described as attempts by some federal ministers to portray PTI as a supporter of terrorism. The PTI chairperson said his party was still ready for meaningful and positive dialogue with its political opponents and expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would play a constructive role in the prevailing situation. He thanked the JUI-F, Awami National Party and Jamaat-i-Islami for opposing the imposition of governor’s rule. On the PTI’s long march, he said it would continue as per the decided schedule, with gatherings planned in Mardan on Oct 10 and Swabi on Oct 11, after which the future course of action would be decided by the party leadership. He also criticised the imposition of Section 144 in parts of KP, saying elected representatives should be taken into confidence in matters concerning law and order. He urged all political parties, whether in government or opposition, to play their role in strengthening democracy, an independent judiciary, free elections and the rule of law. Gohar said the federal government and the opposition needed to set aside their differences and engage in sincere, unconditional dialogue to help the country overcome its political crisis. Mobile services disrupted Though there was no word from the provincial government on the unannounced cellular disruption, a Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) official, however, confirmed to Dawn that the authority had ordered the suspension at the directives of higher authorities. The official told Dawn the suspension was temporary and taken as a security precaution during the long march. The official said the orders were conveyed on Wednesday night. Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Home and Tribal Affairs Tariq Saeed Marwat did not respond to whether his department requested the interior ministry cell phone service suspension. KP Information Minister Shafi Jan was also not available for comment. Meanwhile, some major private schools across Peshawar also remained closed on Thursday. However, government schools, colleges and universities remained open. Many parents found out about the school closure on Thursday morning when their children returned home after finding the school gates locked. Yousaf Khan, a resident of Ring Road, told Dawn that he found out on Thursday morning. “My children were told at the school gate to go back,” he said, adding that he did not hear about the closure due to the suspension of cellular service. “Due to the prevailing political situation in the city, the school will remain closed tomorrow, i.e, on Oct 8”, a notice from one of the private schools read, adding that classes will resume from Friday. However, Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA) officials said no order for school closure was issued, and action will be taken against schools that remained closed without government directions. The authority has also written to the principals of all private schools, stating that certain private educational institutions had been closed by their respective administrations in connection with the ongoing long march, without any notification from the PSRA. “In view of the above, all heads/principals/administrators of private educational institutions are hereby directed to keep their respective institutions open and ensure regular academic activities until clear directions/notification are issued by this authority,” the letter, seen by Dawn , read. It said that failure to comply with the directions would be viewed seriously, and strict disciplinary action would be initiated against the concerned institution/management under the relevant rules and regulations. PHC seeks CM Afridi’s reply to contempt plea Separately, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday sought a reply from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to a contempt petition alleging that he violated a court order by using an official helicopter to participate in the PTI long march. A bench comprising Chief Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Ijaz Khan issued notice to the chief minister on a petition filed by PML-N MPA Zahir Khan. The petitioner alleged that the chief minister violated the court’s Oct 23, 2025 judgment , which barred the use of government vehicles, machinery and manpower for protests, rallies, long marches or political activities. According to the petition, Afridi used a KP government helicopter on Oct 4 to travel from Peshawar to Lakki Marwat to participate in, launch and lead the PTI’s long march. Appearing for the petitioner, Barrister M Yaseen Raza Khan recalled the Oct 2025 PHC judgment issued on a 2024 writ petition, in which the KP government was made a respondent. “Accordingly, we dispose of the writ petition; however, the respondents and all concerned authorities are directed to ensure, with utmost diligence, that no official vehicle, machinery, or manpower under their control is deployed, used, or permitted to be used for any protest, long march, rally, or political activity of any nature,” Barrister Yaseen quoted from the judgment. He argued that the PHC’s directive was clear, unequivocal and binding upon the provincial government and all authorities and functionaries working under its control. The lawyer noted that CM Afridi used an official helicopter of the KP government to travel to Lakki Marwat to lead the political long march organised by his party. “The official helicopter was thus placed at the personal disposal of the respondent for facilitating his participation in an expressly political activity prohibited by the judgment,” the counsel pointed out. He contended that the violation was not confined merely to the CM’s journey, but the official helicopter’s use necessarily involved deployment of its pilots, crew, fuel, technical staff, ground arrangements, security personnel, protocol officials and other public resources. He added that the entire official machinery accompanying and facilitating the said flight was employed to enable the chief minister to reach and lead the political long march, in direct violation of the 2025 ruling. The petitioner sought contempt proceedings against CM Afridi and asked the court to summon him and seek details of the helicopter’s authorisation, flight log and expenditure. The hearing was then adjourned.
Afridi-led convoy enters Peshawar as PTI long march continues for 5th day
PESHAWAR: A convoy led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi entered Peshawar on Thursday evening as PTI continued its long march for a fifth consecutive day. The route plan for the march, being carried out to demand the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan, has undergone multiple changes since its launch on Oct 4. While the party initially vowed to march towards Islamabad, its final destination seemingly remains tentative as the KP CM has yet to announce the plan for the trek after Oct 8. A post by the PTI’s official X account shortly after 6pm said the Afridi-led convoy had reached Hayatabad Toll Plaza in Peshawar. It also shared pictures of hundreds of supporters gathered to welcome the KP CM. “God-willing, by the time it reaches Swabi, this caravan will become the largest long march in Pakistan’s history,” the PTI asserted. Addressing supporters at the toll plaza, CM Afridi urged them to maintain their determination for the “struggle for true freedom”. “There might be some discomfort, but this pain is not greater than the pain Imran Khan sahib is enduring in jail for us,” he said. The PTI leader went on to say, “We shall not hesitate to even sacrifice [our] life for Imran Khan sahib .” While Afridi said he would announce the next plan of action after proceeding to other areas of Peshawar, he also said the public would be “thrilled” upon hearing his plan when he reaches Swabi. In a video shared by the PTI, Afridi could be seen raising slogans of “Free Imran Khan”, with supporters chanting in harmony. Ahead of the protesters’ arrival, an unannounced disruption of mobile and cellular internet services was reported since last night in several areas of the provincial capital. Long march plan The caravan seemed to be behind schedule as it was supposed to reach Hayatabad Toll Plaza by 2pm, according to the schedule for Oct 8 shared by Information Minister Shafi Jan in the morning. It will pass by Bhana Mari Chungi, Kohati Chowk at Circular Road, Jameel Chowk, Pir Zakori Bridge, Kabootar Chowk, and then plans to reach Charsadda Road. PTI’s march began from Lakki Marwat on Oct 4, from where the protesters trekked to Kohat on the second day and then camped overnight on Oct 6 in Mattani , located on the outskirts of Peshawar. It then reached Khyber on Oct 7, before proceeding towards Peshawar. According to an earlier schedule, CM Afridi was to lead his supporters to Khairabad — which borders Punjab’s Attock — on Oct 8 and announce the next plan of action there. However, the chief minister has now said the march will go all the way to Swabi, where he would announce the PTI’s next move. The Centre has warned the party against any protests or gatherings in Islamabad. However, the PTI decided to embark on the march after weekend talks with the federal government failed to bridge their differences for multiple reasons , particularly over the counterterrorism policy. The march was announced as part of the PTI’s nationwide protest, initially scheduled for Sept 27 but was later postponed to Oct 4. Gohar calls for reviewing counterterrorism policy PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said on Thursday that his party had never supported terrorism, adding that, however, the country’s counterterrorism policy needed to be reviewed in the light of changing circumstances. Gohar was speaking to the media in Charsadda, which is expected to be the next stop of the PTI’s march after Peshawar. The PTI chairperson visited the residences of KP Public Health Engineering Minister Fazal Shakoor and MNA Fazal Mohammad Khan, whom the PTI alleges were abducted by unidentified men amid reports of detentions of its workers and members ahead of the march. Gohar expressed concern over their disappearance and demanded their immediate and safe recovery. Speaking to the media at their residences, he noted that 18 days had passed since Shakoor’s alleged abduction and his family had no information about his whereabouts. He urged the relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the matter and ensure that Shakoor and Khan were recovered and reunited with their families. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan speaks to the media in Charsadda on Oct 8. — Photo by Faiz Muhammad Gohar said the “enforced disappearances” were a matter of serious concern and stressed the need for rule of law and protection of citizens’ constitutional rights. If such incidents were taking place in KP, they could also occur in other provinces, he further warned. He also rejected the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency as a solution to the prevailing situation in KP, as federal ministers continue to indicate the possible enforcement of either of the two, citing terrorism. The warning of a possible emergency or governor’s rule had come ahead of the PTI’s long march and as talks between the opposition party in the Centre and the federal government failed earlier this month. For his part, Gohar said political issues should be resolved through constitutional and democratic means. He called upon the decision-makers to respect the public mandate and elected governments. On the security situation, he asserted that the PTI, its workers and supporters had never supported terrorism. He said the party stood with the state in the fight against terrorism, but the country’s policy on the issue needed to be reviewed in light of changing circumstances. “Terrorism, whether in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan or Sindh, is against Pakistan,” he said, adding that the loss of any Pakistani’s life in the fight against terrorism was a national loss. He called for the implementation of the National Action Plan through a unified national policy rather than politicising the issue. Gohar also defended CM Afridi, saying he had never issued a statement in support of terrorists. He criticised what he described as attempts by some federal ministers to portray PTI as a supporter of terrorism. The PTI chairperson said his party was still ready for meaningful and positive dialogue with its political opponents and expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would play a constructive role in the prevailing situation. He thanked the JUI-F, Awami National Party and Jamaat-i-Islami for opposing the imposition of governor’s rule. On the PTI’s long march, he said it would continue as per the decided schedule, with gatherings planned in Mardan on Oct 10 and Swabi on Oct 11, after which the future course of action would be decided by the party leadership. He also criticised the imposition of Section 144 in parts of KP, saying elected representatives should be taken into confidence in matters concerning law and order. He urged all political parties, whether in government or opposition, to play their role in strengthening democracy, an independent judiciary, free elections and the rule of law. Gohar said the federal government and the opposition needed to set aside their differences and engage in sincere, unconditional dialogue to help the country overcome its political crisis. Mobile services disrupted Though there was no word from the provincial government on the unannounced cellular disruption, a Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) official, however, confirmed to Dawn that the authority had ordered the suspension at the directives of higher authorities. The official told Dawn the suspension was temporary and taken as a security precaution during the long march. The official said the orders were conveyed on Wednesday night. Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Home and Tribal Affairs Tariq Saeed Marwat did not respond to whether his department requested the interior ministry cell phone service suspension. KP Information Minister Shafi Jan was also not available for comment. Meanwhile, some major private schools across Peshawar also remained closed on Thursday. However, government schools, colleges and universities remained open. Many parents found out about the school closure on Thursday morning when their children returned home after finding the school gates locked. Yousaf Khan, a resident of Ring Road, told Dawn that he found out on Thursday morning. “My children were told at the school gate to go back,” he said, adding that he did not hear about the closure due to the suspension of cellular service. “Due to the prevailing political situation in the city, the school will remain closed tomorrow, i.e, on Oct 8”, a notice from one of the private schools read, adding that classes will resume from Friday. However, Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA) officials said no order for school closure was issued, and action will be taken against schools that remained closed without government directions. The authority has also written to the principals of all private schools, stating that certain private educational institutions had been closed by their respective administrations in connection with the ongoing long march, without any notification from the PSRA. “In view of the above, all heads/principals/administrators of private educational institutions are hereby directed to keep their respective institutions open and ensure regular academic activities until clear directions/notification are issued by this authority,” the letter, seen by Dawn , read. It said that failure to comply with the directions would be viewed seriously, and strict disciplinary action would be initiated against the concerned institution/management under the relevant rules and regulations. PHC seeks CM Afridi’s reply to contempt plea Separately, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday sought a reply from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to a contempt petition alleging that he violated a court order by using an official helicopter to participate in the PTI long march. A bench comprising Chief Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Ijaz Khan issued notice to the chief minister on a petition filed by PML-N MPA Zahir Khan. The petitioner alleged that the chief minister violated the court’s Oct 23, 2025 judgment , which barred the use of government vehicles, machinery and manpower for protests, rallies, long marches or political activities. According to the petition, Afridi used a KP government helicopter on Oct 4 to travel from Peshawar to Lakki Marwat to participate in, launch and lead the PTI’s long march. Appearing for the petitioner, Barrister M Yaseen Raza Khan recalled the Oct 2025 PHC judgment issued on a 2024 writ petition, in which the KP government was made a respondent. “Accordingly, we dispose of the writ petition; however, the respondents and all concerned authorities are directed to ensure, with utmost diligence, that no official vehicle, machinery, or manpower under their control is deployed, used, or permitted to be used for any protest, long march, rally, or political activity of any nature,” Barrister Yaseen quoted from the judgment. He argued that the PHC’s directive was clear, unequivocal and binding upon the provincial government and all authorities and functionaries working under its control. The lawyer noted that CM Afridi used an official helicopter of the KP government to travel to Lakki Marwat to lead the political long march organised by his party. “The official helicopter was thus placed at the personal disposal of the respondent for facilitating his participation in an expressly political activity prohibited by the judgment,” the counsel pointed out. He contended that the violation was not confined merely to the CM’s journey, but the official helicopter’s use necessarily involved deployment of its pilots, crew, fuel, technical staff, ground arrangements, security personnel, protocol officials and other public resources. He added that the entire official machinery accompanying and facilitating the said flight was employed to enable the chief minister to reach and lead the political long march, in direct violation of the 2025 ruling. The petitioner sought contempt proceedings against CM Afridi and asked the court to summon him and seek details of the helicopter’s authorisation, flight log and expenditure. The hearing was then adjourned.