Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has begun its long march towards Islamabad from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after negotiations with the federal government failed to resolve key disagreements over counterterrorism policy in the province and access to imprisoned party founder Imran Khan.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi launched the first phase of the mobilisation from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on October 4. Party supporters from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat were called to join the convoy.
The caravan later camped in Karak. Afridi said he would announce the next course of action on October 8, when the convoy is expected to reach Khairabad. The staged movement means PTI’s mobilisation is unfolding over several days rather than as a single-day push towards the federal capital.
The march began after government-opposition negotiations collapsed at around 3am on Sunday. Four rounds of drafting failed to produce a final agreement despite both sides having spent hours attempting to prevent the confrontation.
The deadlock centred on two particularly sensitive issues: the approach to counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and access to Imran Khan.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the federal government wanted the provincial administration to accept responsibility for counterterrorism actions initiated by Islamabad. PTI maintained that security operations in KP should instead be based on agreement between the federal and provincial governments and consultation with political parties represented in the provincial assembly. This represents PTI’s account of why negotiations failed.
The government has presented a different version.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the two sides had agreed on 99% of the proposed settlement before negotiations broke down. He accused Afridi of undermining the process, an allegation PTI disputes.
The federal government has also intensified criticism of PTI’s handling of the mobilisation.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused senior PTI figures of violating court directions by using government resources and travelling in armed convoys. He also criticised the party’s position on the National Action Plan and counterterrorism operations. These remain allegations made by the defence minister.
Security preparations around the capital have meanwhile been strengthened. The deployment of Rangers personnel in Islamabad and parts of Punjab has reportedly been extended until October 15.
The mobilisation comes at an especially sensitive time for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militant violence has intensified. Federal Minister Amir Muqam accused the PTI-led provincial government of neglecting the province’s worsening security situation while concentrating on political protests. PTI has rejected the broader government criticism of its security policy.
The failed negotiations are significant because they had offered a potential route to avoiding another prolonged political confrontation. Instead, both sides now appear to be returning to pressure tactics, with PTI mobilising supporters and the federal government strengthening security around Islamabad.
For commuters and businesses, the practical impact will depend on the convoy’s progress and official traffic restrictions. Road closures, freight disruption and security measures could become more significant as the march moves closer to Islamabad.
The situation remains fluid. PTI has launched the march, but the convoy has not yet reached Islamabad, and Afridi has indicated that another major decision will come when supporters reach Khairabad on October 8.
For now, the political dialogue has failed to stop the mobilisation. Whether negotiations can restart before the convoy reaches the capital could determine whether Pakistan faces another major government-opposition confrontation.
