PTI long march: CM Afridi-led convoy camps in Mattani for the night, heads to Khyber next

PESHAWAR - The PTI convoy, headed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, arrived in Mattani, a suburb of Peshawar, on Tuesday during their long march to advocate for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The protesters, which departed from Kohat earlier, will rest in Mattani overnight. Afridi plans to lead the group to Khyber at 2 pm the following day.

The PTI's march began on October 4 from Lakki Marwat, and they reached Kohat on Monday night. Their ultimate goal is to reach Khairabad, near the Punjab border, by October 8, where Afridi will announce the next course of action. Though the path beyond Khairabad has not been revealed, the PTI had previously announced Islamabad as its final destination.

However, the federal government has cautioned against any protests or gatherings in Islamabad. PTI's decision to embark on the march came after weekend negotiations with the central government failed due to disagreements, primarily over counterterrorism policies.

CM Afridi, speaking to PTI supporters at University Chowk in Kohat, criticized the federal government's counterterrorism policy, stating that their approach had not eradicated terrorism. He proposed a new policy aimed at establishing peace within 100 days. Afridi emphasized that he was "not afraid of anyone and neither are the youth of KP."

He shared the draft of his demands on social media and indicated that he would abandon the long march if any of his proposals were unconstitutional or illegal. Afridi vowed that the people wanted to resolve their issues through peaceful protest, citing military operations in KP for the past 22 years, yet terrorism remains a pressing issue.

Afridi warned that if Imran's health worsens while in jail, the responsible authorities would face consequences.