KP chief minister says protesters must conserve their energy for a prolonged campaign as convoy aims to reach Khairabad by October 8
KOHAT: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi resumed Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s long march on Monday, leading the protest convoy from Karak into Kohat, where participants will stay overnight before continuing their journey towards Peshawar on Tuesday.
PTI has continued its protest campaign despite warnings from the federal government, which has said it will prevent gatherings in Islamabad. The march is primarily aimed at pressing for the release of the party’s imprisoned founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.
The opposition party launched the mobilisation following the breakdown of negotiations with the federal government over the weekend. The talks failed to resolve several political differences, including disagreements concerning counterterrorism policy.
Convoy Aims to Reach Khairabad by October 8
Under the current plan, Afridi’s convoy is expected to reach Khairabad, near the Punjab border, by October 8. The chief minister is then expected to announce the next phase of PTI’s protest strategy.
After arriving in Kohat’s Lachi tehsil on Monday night, Afridi addressed party workers and supporters, urging them to prepare for an extended political campaign rather than exhausting themselves during the initial stages of the march.
According to a statement issued by the chief minister’s office, Afridi described the movement as a prolonged struggle requiring patience, endurance and sustained mobilisation.
He advised supporters to conserve their energy, saying the campaign would intensify from October 8 onwards, when what he described as a “T20 match” would begin.
Afridi Calls for Large Turnout in Kohat
The KP chief minister also appealed to residents and PTI supporters in Kohat to participate in the march in large numbers.
He urged the district’s supporters to demonstrate a strong presence in the mobilisation and said Kohat should not allow other districts to surpass it in terms of participation.
The overnight stop in Kohat marks the latest stage of PTI’s long march as the party gradually moves its supporters towards the Punjab border while preparing to announce its next course of action on October 8.
