PTI Sources Say Islamabad Long March Shifted to October 5

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's planned long march towards Islamabad entered a new phase on Friday after party sources said the mobilisation, originally scheduled for September 27, had been shifted to October 5. The reported decision emerged from a meeting of the party's political committee at the Chief Minister's House in Peshawar, where senior leaders reviewed the protest plan and wider political strategy.

The meeting was chaired by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and attended by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, provincial cabinet members and party parliamentarians. According to people familiar with the deliberations, a formal announcement was expected after consultations with National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Senate Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas. October 5 also coincides with PTI founder Imran Khan's birthday.

The discussions exposed differences within the opposition camp over both the timing and organisation of the march. Some participants expressed concern that allied political groups and sections of the party had not been sufficiently active ahead of the September 27 mobilisation, while several leaders were reported to believe the original date had been announced without adequate consultation. Most participants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa supported delaying the march and improving coordination among opposition parties, according to party sources.

Despite reports of a postponement, the situation remained fluid. Afridi told reporters after the meeting that the march would still take place and said further consultations were continuing before another announcement. Separately, a provincial PTI spokesperson disputed reports that a final decision to call off the September 27 plan had already been made, saying the party remained prepared while leaving open the possibility of a change if talks with the federal government progressed.

Contemporaneous reports also differed over the proposed replacement date. One account citing party sources said the political committee had agreed to defer the march until October 4, while other reporting placed the new date on October 5. The conflicting accounts, together with statements that opposition allies still had to be consulted, indicated that the revised schedule had not yet been presented as a fully settled public decision at the time of reporting.

Authorities had already intensified security preparations across Islamabad, Rawalpindi and several connecting districts ahead of the original September 27 protest. Punjab imposed restrictions on public gatherings, while authorities sought possible reductions or suspensions of mobile and internet services at selected locations in Rawalpindi and Attock. The federal government also authorised Rangers deployments in Islamabad and several Punjab districts covering the period surrounding the planned mobilisation.

The uncertainty over the march has implications beyond party politics because security measures and potential road restrictions can affect travel, commercial activity and movement between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and the federal capital. Preparations around the twin cities had already expanded before the latest discussions, leaving residents and transport operators watching closely for clarification on whether restrictions would remain necessary for September 27.

The immediate next step is expected to be a formal announcement after further consultations among PTI leaders and opposition allies. Until that process is completed, October 5 remains the date cited by multiple party-source reports, but competing accounts and public comments from party figures mean the final protest schedule remains subject to confirmation. Authorities are meanwhile maintaining security preparations while the political discussions continue.