PESHAWAR, Aug. 10 (Alliance News): Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership and its allied Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) alliance have unanimously endorsed the party’s planned September 27 long march to Islamabad, dismissing reports of internal divisions and allegations of a secret political deal.
Speaking on Geo News programme Capital Talk, Afridi said the decision to hold the long march on September 27 had been taken collectively by PTI’s provincial and central leadership in consultation with allied parties.
“All our political leadership, the provincial leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf across all provinces, the central leadership and the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan alliance are fully on board,” he said.
His remarks came in response to concerns reportedly raised by Aleema Khan, the sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, who questioned why the protest was scheduled for September 27 instead of an earlier date.
Afridi described Aleema Khan as a non-political figure who speaks only as the PTI founder’s sister and expressed confidence that she would support the decision after being briefed on the reasons behind the chosen date.
“Aleema Apa is Imran Khan Sahib’s sister, and we have repeatedly said that she is non-political. She has nothing to do with politics. We will, God willing, satisfy her after explaining the facts and figures,” he said.
Rejects allegations of secret deal
The chief minister also strongly rejected allegations made by some overseas PTI leaders that the September 27 date had been finalised following a secret understanding with the federal government.
He said those making such claims should have contacted him privately before making public accusations.
“This is an attempt to mislead people, and such behaviour should be avoided,” Afridi said, adding that sincere party workers should verify information before making allegations.
Responding to claims that he had met Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and another official on August 4 before announcing the protest date, Afridi termed the allegations “completely baseless.”
He said he had remained at the KP House in Islamabad from noon until 4:30pm on that day, where he attended official meetings regarding the province’s Pado KP and telemedicine projects.
“From 12:00 noon until 4:30pm, I was attending meetings at KP House. I was in Islamabad, not Peshawar,” he said.
PTI says long march is ‘last option’
A day earlier, PTI leader Shafi Jan, who also serves as an aide to the KP chief minister, said the party had no alternative but to launch a long march aimed at securing the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Shafi Jan said PTI workers believed their concerns were being ignored, making the protest their “last option.”
He claimed the party planned to begin the march from Peshawar with up to two million participants, adding that its impact would be felt across the country.
Imran Khan, 73, has remained in prison since August 2023 after being convicted in multiple cases that he and PTI maintain are politically motivated.
Since his removal from office through a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022, the former prime minister has faced numerous legal proceedings, including cases related to state gifts and an unlawful marriage. While some convictions have been suspended or overturned, several appeals remain pending before higher courts. Imran Khan and PTI continue to deny all allegations.
