Govt warns PTI of ‘other options’ over Sept 27 march

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that the government will consider “other options” if the party goes ahead with its planned march on Islamabad on September 27.

Speaking during a television programme on Thursday, Chaudhry said the government’s priority was to resolve the matter through legal and judicial channels. He said authorities wanted to prevent confrontation and maintain peace in the federal capital.

The PTI has announced a march on Islamabad for September 27. The party says the protest is aimed at demanding the release of its founder, Imran Khan.

A central convoy is expected to leave Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while caravans from other parts of the country are also expected to join the march before heading towards Islamabad.

Chaudhry said the government wanted to avoid any situation that could lead to clashes between protesters and law enforcement agencies.

“Our first option is to maintain law and order without confrontation,” he said.

The minister alleged that previous PTI marches towards Islamabad had not remained peaceful and had resulted in casualties. He also claimed that government intelligence reports suggested the upcoming march could turn violent.

According to Chaudhry, the government believes the PTI intends to create unrest in Islamabad rather than hold a peaceful demonstration.

He warned that strict action could be taken if the party refused to reconsider its plan.

The minister said the government would prefer a solution through judicial and legal channels. However, he added that authorities would use other measures if the PTI attempted to march on the capital.

He also rejected the impression that the government had closed the door to political dialogue.

Chaudhry said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already contacted the opposition leader in the National Assembly and offered negotiations.

“The offer is still valid,” he said, adding that the prime minister was willing to meet the opposition leader at a venue of his choice.

The minister argued that such an offer represented a possible middle ground and could help prevent a confrontation.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi strongly criticised the government’s approach towards the proposed march.

He questioned why legal proceedings had begun before the protest had even taken place. He said the situation was unprecedented because the court was considering an application filed by an ordinary citizen regarding a future political event.

Shafi accused the government of using the proposed protest as a pretext for taking action against the PTI.

He also rejected allegations linking the party to the May 9 violence, saying the government was attempting to create a similar situation around the September 27 protest.

Another PTI representative, Jan, rejected the government’s offer for negotiations, saying the time for talks had passed.

He claimed that the PTI had made several attempts to negotiate over the past two years. According to him, three rounds of talks had ended without an agreement.

He alleged that the government only talks about negotiations when the PTI’s political movement gains momentum or its supporters begin moving towards Islamabad.

Jan said the PTI would proceed with its September 27 plan despite the government’s warning.

He claimed that a huge number of supporters would march towards the federal capital under the leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.

The PTI leader also issued a defiant response to the government, saying the party was prepared for possible arrests, disqualification proceedings or other measures.

He claimed that attempts to stop the march would not prevent PTI supporters from reaching Islamabad.

The government and PTI remain sharply divided over the planned September 27 mobilisation, with authorities stressing law and order while the opposition party insists it will proceed with its protest.