PTI remains open to talks as long march enters fifth day

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has said the party remains willing to engage in meaningful and constructive negotiations with the government as the opposition’s long march entered its fifth day on Thursday.

The march, led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, continued its journey towards Islamabad despite warnings from the federal government and growing political tensions.

Speaking to reporters in Charsadda, Gohar said imposing governor’s rule or declaring an emergency in K-P would not resolve the political crisis. He urged the authorities to avoid steps that could further deepen tensions and called for political engagement.

“Democracy has come to a traffic jam,” Gohar said, urging decision-makers to respect the public mandate and recognise elected governments.

The PTI chairman also defended CM Afridi against allegations linking him to terrorism. Gohar said Afridi had never supported terrorists and maintained that PTI stood with the state in its fight against terrorism. However, he argued that Pakistan needed to review its decades-old approach to counterterrorism.

Gohar also expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would contribute positively to efforts aimed at resolving the political dispute. He thanked JUI-F, Awami National Party and Jamaat-e-Islami for opposing the possible imposition of governor’s rule in K-P.

At the same time, Gohar criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, accusing their leadership of promoting what he described as a misleading narrative against PTI through regular press conferences.

Meanwhile, PTI has announced a revised route and schedule for the next phase of the march. PTI K-P Secretary General Ali Asghar Khan said Afridi would lead the convoy through the districts as it moves towards Peshawar.

According to the revised plan, the convoy is expected to reach Peshawar on Thursday night, followed by Charsadda on October 9, Mardan on October 10 and Swabi on October 11. The party will decide its next strategy after reaching Swabi.

The march began in Lakki Marwat on October 4 after negotiations between PTI and the federal government failed to bridge their differences. The protest had originally been planned for September 27 but was postponed to allow further talks.

The negotiations eventually stalled, with disagreements over counterterrorism policy and access to PTI founder Imran Khan emerging as major points of contention. PTI has continued to demand political engagement while the government has warned against actions that could further disrupt law and order.