PTI Postpones Islamabad Long March to October 4 as Capital Lockdown Bites

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has postponed its planned long march on Islamabad to October 4, after the government turned the capital into a fortress ahead of the originally planned September 27 rally.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the new date on Friday, saying the decision was taken by consensus in the party’s political committee after consultations with opposition alliance leaders. He said the march would now set off from Peshawar on October 4 and described the movement as peaceful.

Party spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari told Reuters the postponement did not weaken the party’s position, adding that PTI could launch the march earlier if it chose. “The question is to the government, as to how long they’re willing to keep the country closed off?” he said.

Authorities had blocked major highways into Islamabad with shipping containers and deployed tens of thousands of police and paramilitary troops ahead of the September 27 date. Section 144, banning gatherings of five or more people, has been imposed across the capital and adjoining Rawalpindi for two months. The government has also detained three sisters of jailed PTI founder Imran Khan and hundreds of activists in recent days, citing public-order concerns.

The march is aimed at pressing demands for Khan’s release and what the party calls the restoration of constitutional supremacy. PTI says its founder’s October 5 birthday will also be observed in Islamabad.

Sources:

Reuters — Imran Khan’s party postpones planned Islamabad march to October 4: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/imran-khans-party-postpones-planned-islamabad-march-october-4-2026-09-25/

Islamabad Post — PTI postpones Islamabad long march to Oct 4: https://islamabadpost.com.pk/pti-postpones-islamabad-long-march-to-oct4/