Summary: PTI supporters have launched a long march from Dera Ismail Khan towards Islamabad, with convoys from southern KP districts expected to join the movement amid tight security.
By Our Correspondent
PESHAWAR/DI KHAN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters began moving from Dera Ismail Khan on Sunday as part of the party’s planned long march towards Islamabad, with the protesters demanding the release of jailed party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
Read also:Â Naqvi says talks collapse as government, opposition remain divided over KP security
The first convoy was led by former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who called on party workers to remain peaceful and disciplined throughout the protest.
Addressing participants before their departure, Gandapur urged workers to avoid clashes with law enforcement personnel and refrain from damaging public or private property. He said the PTI wanted the march to remain a peaceful political activity and asked supporters not to take the law into their own hands.
He also warned participants against blocking roads or becoming involved in confrontations, saying such actions would not represent the party’s policy.
Gandapur described the march as another phase of the PTI’s political struggle for Imran Khan’s release. He said party supporters had made sacrifices in the past and would continue their political campaign through peaceful means.
The DI Khan convoy was expected to travel through Yarik and Pezu before reaching Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat, where supporters from several southern districts were gathering.
A significant number of PTI workers gathered near Gandi Chowk on the Peshawar-Karachi Highway. Authorities deployed a heavy security contingent in the area, including police personnel, armoured vehicles and bomb disposal teams.
KP Special Assistant for Home and Tribal Affairs Tariq Saad said the long march would formally proceed from Gandi Chowk, with convoys from various southern districts joining the movement.
He said PTI workers from Bannu, Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, North Waziristan and South Waziristan were expected to participate. However, he acknowledged that workers from some areas could face difficulties because of curfews and other security restrictions.
According to the PTI’s announced schedule, those unable to join at the initial stage would have opportunities to join the convoy later as it moved towards Peshawar.
The march follows the PTI’s earlier announcement of a protest movement against what the party describes as the unlawful imprisonment of Imran Khan. The party had initially planned the march for Sept. 27 but subsequently postponed it until Oct. 4.
The protest has also added to political tensions between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Federal ministers have warned that protesters will not be allowed to enter Islamabad. Government officials have also raised concerns over the security situation in KP and the potential impact of the march on law and order.
The PTI, meanwhile, has opposed any attempt to impose governor’s rule or emergency measures in the province and has continued to call for political engagement.
Planned route
Under the route announced by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, supporters from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Bannu are expected to join the main convoy at Gandi Chowk.
The caravan is scheduled to travel towards Karak, where participants will spend the night before continuing towards Kohat.
On Oct. 6, supporters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai are expected to join the convoy before it moves towards Peshawar.
The march is then planned to proceed through Peshawar and towards Charsadda. Supporters from Peshawar, Charsadda and Mohmand are expected to join at different points along the route.
The convoy is scheduled to reach the Khairabad area on Oct. 8. PTI leadership has said further details about the final phase of the journey towards Islamabad will be announced later.
Security restrictions
Authorities have imposed restrictions under Section 144 in several KP districts ahead of the march, citing security and public safety concerns.
In Dera Ismail Khan, restrictions on the movement of people and vehicles along specified routes are in force from Oct. 4 to Oct. 6.
Similar restrictions have been imposed in parts of South Waziristan, Tank and Hangu. In some areas, authorities have specifically restricted the movement of cargo vehicles, loaders, dumpers and other vehicles.
The restrictions are intended to assist law enforcement agencies in maintaining security and managing traffic during the period of heightened political activity.
The latest development comes after negotiations between the federal government and the opposition failed to produce a breakthrough. With the PTI’s convoy now moving towards Islamabad, attention is expected to remain focused on the government’s response and whether further negotiations can prevent the political confrontation from escalating.