Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi renewed his opposition to military operations in the province as a political long march led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) marked one week since its launch. Speaking to a gathering at Farooq-i-Azam Chowk in Charsadda, Afridi stated that he was asked to sign off on security decisions but refused to yield to pressure or threats. According to Dawn, the march was organized to demand the release of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan.

What happened

During his address, Afridi called on party supporters to remain united and maintained that national security decisions should be resolved on principle rather than political pressure. He noted that KP residents have suffered heavy losses in past counterterrorism efforts and expressed a willingness to sacrifice his chief minister seat for Imran Khan and the Pakhtun people. Following the gathering in Charsadda, KP Information Minister Shafi Jan stated that the convoy traveled to Mardan for an overnight stay, where Afridi spoke to demonstrators again.

Key facts

  • The PTI long march began on October 4 and has so far stayed within KP, where the party holds power.
  • The exact final destination of the march is not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
  • Convoys from the Peshawar, Malakand, and Kohat regions are set to arrive at the Swabi Interchange on October 13, followed by caravans from Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, and Hazara on October 14.
  • Afridi plans to announce the next phase of the demonstration on October 13, with the goal of moving past Swabi on October 14.

Why it matters

According to Dawn, the demonstration reflects deep disputes between Pakistan's federal government and the PTI-led KP administration over counterterrorism measures and policies regarding Afghanistan. These disagreements contributed to the failure of talks between the Centre and the opposition on October 3, with the federal government blaming Afridi for the collapse. As a result of the ongoing standoff, federal authorities are currently considering options to impose an emergency or governor's rule in KP.

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Source: Dawn - Home · Published October 10, 2026 · Photo by Arun Prakash on Unsplash