KP CM Afridi calls meeting to plan PTI's September 27 Islamabad march

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has called a meeting of parliamentary leaders for September 21 as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf prepares for its next phase of political mobilisation and a planned march towards Islamabad. Party leaders, parliamentary representatives and members of the provincial cabinet have been invited to attend the meeting in Peshawar, where preparations for the proposed demonstration are expected to dominate discussions.

Participants are expected to discuss the proposed Islamabad march, including its timing, possible routes and the party's broader strategy. The gathering will also review the prevailing political situation and consider the party's future course of action. Although September 27 has previously been announced for the planned march, the latest consultations indicate that senior figures are continuing to coordinate operational and political details.

The planned mobilisation comes amid heightened political activity involving the opposition party and the federal authorities. Party chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Sunday that negotiations with the government had not produced progress, while maintaining that political engagement should continue. He also said government resources would not be used for the September 27 march and stated that the party did not intend to block roads during the protest.

The Islamabad High Court has already directed provincial chief ministers to ensure that government resources and official machinery are not used for the planned demonstration. The court issued the direction while disposing of a petition concerning the September 27 mobilisation, which the party has linked to demands including the release of its jailed founder and what it describes as constitutional and political grievances.

The latest planning also follows the detention of Aleema Khan in Lahore on Sunday. An administrative order placed her in detention for 30 days under the Maintenance of Public Order framework, with authorities citing public-safety and law-and-order concerns. She was subsequently shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail. Party representatives criticised the action and demanded her release, while the detention added another point of tension ahead of the proposed Islamabad mobilisation.

Afridi has previously said that the party's provincial and central leadership, along with allied opposition figures, supported the September 27 march. Earlier statements indicated that the mobilisation was intended to bring supporters towards Islamabad as part of an ongoing political campaign. The new parliamentary meeting is therefore expected to focus on translating those earlier announcements into detailed organisational arrangements.

The immediate next step will be the September 21 meeting, where participants are expected to review the route, mobilisation plans and political strategy before the announced protest date. Decisions emerging from the gathering could clarify how supporters will travel towards Islamabad, what role provincial party structures will play and whether the previously announced September 27 schedule remains unchanged.