PTI workers began gathering at Gandi Chowk on the Peshawar-Karachi Highway on Sunday afternoon to demand the release of jailed party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan. Sohail Afridi reached Lakki Marwat by helicopter on Sunday.
PTI workers from Bannu, DI Khan, Tank, North Waziristan, and South Waziristan are expected to assemble at Gandi Chowk. Ali Amin Gandapur, the former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led PTI workers departing from Dera Ismail Khan.
The convoy is scheduled to travel through Yarik and Pezu before reaching Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat. Gandapur stated that the party intends to follow a policy of “live and let live” during the protest.
Tariq Saad confirmed that a peaceful long march would commence from Gandi Chowk today. The party initially announced the long march to Islamabad on 27 September, but later postponed it until 4 October.
The caravan is set to halt for the night near Karak. Protesters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram, and Orakzai will join the convoy at 12:00 pm on 6 October.
The caravan will depart from Budh Bair in Peshawar on the afternoon of 7 October. The people of the entire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are expected to gather at Khairabad on 8 October.
Authorities banned movement on several roads across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Section 144. Movement of people and all types of traffic in DI Khan was restricted between 6 am and 6 pm from 4 October to 6 October.
Section 144 was imposed in Upper South Waziristan from 3 October to 5 October. Restrictions under Section 144 were placed in Lower South Waziristan from 1 October to 10 October.
District Tank faced restrictions under Section 144 from 3 October to 5 October. Attaullah Tarar criticized Afridi, stating that he used a “state helicopter for a political march.”
Faisal Karim Kundi, the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, asserted that the helicopter use violated the IHC order and amounted to contempt of court.
