PTI Launches Long March to Islamabad Over Deadlocked Talks
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf began a long march toward Islamabad on Sunday demanding the release of Imran Khan after negotiations with the federal government failed.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) launched a long march toward Islamabad on October 4, 2026, following a deadlock in negotiations with the federal government. Led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the procession began at Ghundi Chowk in Lakki Marwat and is scheduled to move through Karak, Kohat, Peshawar, and Charsadda. All participating caravans are expected to gather at Khairabad on October 8 to determine the next phase of the movement.
The party is pursuing a seven-point agenda that includes the release of founder Imran Khan, medical treatment for Khan and Bushra Bibi, and the release of women political prisoners. PTI also demands a joint political negotiating committee and regular meetings between the Prime Minister and opposition leaders.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attributed the failure of the talks to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government backing away from security commitments, specifically the condemnation of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the repatriation of Afghan refugees. In response to the march, the federal government warned that protesters will be barred from entering Islamabad and suggested it may impose an emergency or governor's rule within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
