Last Updated on September 26, 2026 by YeJahan
YEJAHAN REPORT
PESHAWAR (Sept 25): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has postponed its planned ‘Long March’ against the government amid government’s strict warning and lack of funds, sources told YeJahan News Network.
While holding a press conference here on Friday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has announced the postponement of the march, framing the delay as a calculated “tactical move”.
Afridi emphasised that PTI remains committed to a peaceful, purely political struggle for the supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law.
Employing a cricketing metaphor to describe his political strategy, the Chief Minister compared the ongoing confrontation with the federal government to a Test match. “We have already won the toss,” Afridi told reporters, suggesting that his administration holds the strategic upper hand despite the temporary retreat.
In a clear bid to de-escalate immediate tensions with the state apparatus, Afridi explicitly ruled out violent clashes with security forces, stating that he would “not raise a stick against the uniform”. However, he maintained that the door for negotiations would remain open even after the long march eventually proceeds, insisting that political crises must ultimately be resolved through dialogue.
The decision to delay the march followed a high-level meeting of the party’s political committee. According to Afridi, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan has already reached out to key opposition allies, including Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, to brief them on the committee’s consensus and ensure a unified opposition
Earlier reports suggested that National Assembly Opposition Leader Mehmood Achakzai refused to back down from the original schedule when contacted by phone by Sohail Afridi.
“The march must go ahead on 27 September as planned,” Achakzai is understood to have insisted during the call, arguing that the opposition should maintain momentum and proceed in a peaceful manner rather than offering the government a breather.
Insiders say the veteran leader expressed concerns that any delay would demoralise supporters and weaken the alliance’s leverage against the current administration.
The development follows an intense federal crackdown aimed at preventing the opposition from assembling.
At the time of writing this report, shipping containers were being placed outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. When questioned about the move, the administration cited security concerns as the reason for the deployment.
Copyright YeJahan News Network, 2026
