PTI considering postponing Sept 27 Islamabad long march

The PTI leadership is contemplating delaying their planned long march towards Islamabad, originally scheduled for September 27, by over a week, according to a senior party insider. The march, intended to advocate for the release of party founder Imran Khan, who is currently detained in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, would now depart from Peshawar on October 4.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi will officially announce the postponement soon. A source claimed that the PTI has already achieved their objective through the march, as the federal government and law enforcement have already closed down the capital and numerous routes. The PTI has declined to discuss potential collaboration with the Jamaat-i-Islami, which postponed its own protest due to the premier's request.

Preparations for possible security concerns and emergencies have been ongoing in Rawalpindi Division and Islamabad, with Punjab imposing a 13-day gathering ban and Section 144 restrictions. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned the increasing arrests and preventive detention of PTI members, emphasizing the need for the government to uphold the right to peaceful assembly and release those unjustly detained.

Meanwhile, the federal government approved the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad and several Punjab districts from September 20 to October 5, with troops empowered to respond to threats and violent activities as per established regulations.