PTI Long March Fizzles Out In Swabi After KP Emergency

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s long march appeared to lose momentum in Swabi on Sunday night after the imposition of an emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with security deployments restricting the space for possible protest activity.

The caravan, led by former chief minister Sohail Afridi, was expected to reach Swabi on the night of October 11. However, local party leadership was largely absent, and no major protest was reported in the district as authorities tightened arrangements across key routes.

Police were deployed at several important locations, including Aman Chowk in Swabi, Topi, Swabi Interchange and Shiwa Adda in Razaar tehsil. Containers were also brought to Swabi Interchange, Jahangira Bridge and the Indus River bridge on the M-1 Motorway because of security concerns.

Mobile phone networks and PTCL internet services remained suspended across Swabi, creating problems for residents and disrupting normal communication. Despite the restrictions, the situation at Aman Chowk was reported to be normal, with traffic flowing and businesses operating as usual.

Police sources said raids were conducted in Shiwa Adda and nearby areas after reports that the march could arrive there. The action was aimed at arresting party workers, but no arrests were reported. Some workers and youth wing members gathered at Shiwa Adda ground and Ismaila Interchange, but police dispersed some of them.

The provincial police also warned that protest demonstrations involving violence, vandalism or disruption of law and order would be dealt with strictly. Officials said anyone attacking security personnel, public buildings or private property would face legal action.

Special security measures were being arranged for police stations, government buildings, banks, petrol pumps, commercial centres and major highways. Authorities also said protest activity and police responses would be video-recorded to support any legal proceedings if unrest occurred.

The developments came after emergency and governor’s rule were imposed in the province, shifting the political and administrative environment around the march. Even before the formal decision, authorities had sealed parts of Peshawar’s Cantonment area, affecting traffic and commercial activity.

The disruption also hit public transport, as the Bus Rapid Transit service in Peshawar was suspended indefinitely because of the situation. With the march showing little sign of moving through Swabi as expected, the immediate political test for the party is whether it can reorganise its mobilisation under the new security and administrative restrictions.