KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi Announces Launch of Long March First Phase from Lakki Marwat Today; Government Vows to Block Entry into Islamabad
ISLAMABAD : Political tensions have run high since the Chief Minister of KP, Sohail Afridi, announced the commencement of the first phase of the long march from Lakki Marwat today, which, in turn, had been countered by a severe stern warning from the federal government.
In a tweet on the social media platform X, CM Afridi has announced that the march would begin from Gundi Chowk, Tank, D.I. Khan, South and North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat, where the citizens of these areas will be camping overnight before meeting Karak residents at 12:00 PM on October 5.
The report highlights key points of the political developments and stances.
Government’s Firm Stance: Prime Minister’s Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah replied firmly in reply saying that the government had taken its stance on peace but the long march would not be allowed to enter Islamabad and any attempt to create anarchy would be met with the might of the law. The medical and meeting requests were minor issues and talks could be resumed if the opposition agreed to cooperate in the war against terror, Sanaullah added.
PTI’s Perspective and Deadlock: PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan expressed regret that this issue of a deadlock between the two parties occurred due to the clash of egos, adding that despite the impasse in the talks over counter-terrorism cooperation, politics provides space for reconciliation. He cautioned that the imposition of Governor’s Rule or an emergency in KP would only aggravate the situation and have warned that a long march response should not be based on authoritarianism, which would inflict public resentment.
Status of Dialogue: After the formal negotiations, leaders from both sides confirmed that some of the demands would not be addressed in the short term, but political channels and ongoing efforts for de-escalation were open.