PTI Long March Changes Route, Heads To Khyber First

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has announced a change in the route of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s long march, saying the convoy will first move towards Khyber before proceeding to Peshawar. The announcement came during the third day of the protest movement as participants gathered at University Chowk in Kohat before leaving for the next destination.

Afridi described the change as part of the party’s political strategy and said the march remained peaceful. He argued that the movement had not abandoned its wider plan and would eventually head towards Islamabad when the leadership decided the timing was appropriate.

The chief minister said the party had exhausted constitutional and legal options before moving to street mobilisation. He linked the march to demands including access to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, his medical treatment and his release, insisting that the stated demands were lawful and political in nature.

Addressing supporters, Afridi said the earlier change in the protest schedule had already put pressure on the authorities. He claimed the government was now concerned not only about the route but also about the duration and momentum of the march.

Afridi thanked supporters in Kohat and urged participants to remain peaceful despite possible provocation. He told workers that the protest should continue without violence and presented the march as a disciplined political campaign rather than a confrontation.

The route change comes as the party faces a wider standoff with federal authorities over protest rights, negotiations and access to its jailed founder. The party has repeatedly said there can be no meaningful political progress without meetings with Imran Khan and a clear response to its demands.

The provincial leadership has also connected the protest to the security and governance debate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Afridi argued that the province needed a political solution and claimed his administration had a policy approach that could improve the security situation within a defined period.

The march’s movement towards Khyber before Peshawar is likely to keep political tensions high across the province and may further test coordination between provincial authorities, federal officials and law enforcement agencies. The next major signal will be whether the leadership fixes a timeline for moving towards Islamabad or keeps the route flexible as part of its pressure strategy.