PTI Divided Over September 27 Islamabad Long March Plan

Quick Answer

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is facing internal differences over a planned long march to Islamabad on September 27, 2026. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the march during an August 5 rally in Peshawar, but PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram later confirmed that the party’s political and core committees were not consulted before the announcement. However, Akram also said that Imran Khan had given Afridi responsibility for PTI’s street movement, allowing him to make such decisions at his discretion. KP Information Minister Shafi Jan maintains that the plan was discussed with the party and its allies.

PTI’s September 27 long march has become a major talking point inside the party after senior leaders gave different accounts of how the decision was made.

The disagreement does not yet amount to a formal split within PTI. Instead, the main questions concern who was consulted, why September 27 was selected, what the immediate goal of the march will be and how much support the plan has from PTI’s allies and provincial leadership.

Sohail Afridi Announces September 27 Long March to Islamabad

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the Islamabad long march during a PTI rally in Peshawar on August 5.

Afridi said the protest would begin on September 27 and would continue until its objectives were achieved. He later said he would personally lead the march and that protesters would not simply reach Islamabad and return the same day.

The announcement surprised several PTI leaders, according to reports. Some senior party figures said they had no prior knowledge that a date for the Islamabad march was going to be announced.

That reaction quickly raised questions over whether the decision had been approved through PTI’s usual internal process.

Why Did PTI Choose September 27?

The gap between the August 5 announcement and the September 27 march also raised questions.

Afridi later explained that the date was selected because it would provide more suitable weather and give the party enough time to prepare for a large mobilisation.

The preparation period is expected to be used for organising workers, contacting allied political groups and planning the movement from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa towards Islamabad.

Shafi Jan has also said PTI intends to make full preparations rather than treat the march as a symbolic one-day protest.

Sheikh Waqas Akram Says PTI Committees Were Not Consulted

PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram confirmed that neither the party’s political committee nor its core committee had been consulted before Sohail Afridi announced the September 27 march.

His statement directly challenged claims from the KP government that the plan had been agreed upon through consultation.

A senior PTI leader quoted by The Express Tribune also said the central party leadership had no prior knowledge of the September 27 announcement.

These statements have created uncertainty about how much internal approval the plan had before it was made public.

However, the issue is more complicated than a simple disagreement between Afridi and the central PTI leadership.

Imran Khan Gave Afridi Authority Over Street Movement

While Sheikh Waqas Akram confirmed that PTI’s main committees were not consulted, he also acknowledged Sohail Afridi’s authority to lead the party’s street campaign.

According to Akram, Imran Khan had placed Afridi in charge of the street movement and allowed him to make decisions at his own discretion.

This point is important because it means Afridi’s announcement cannot simply be described as an action completely outside his party role.

Earlier reports also showed that Imran Khan had instructed Afridi to take a leading role in PTI’s street mobilisation. In December 2025, PTI leaders publicly said the jailed party founder had assigned Afridi responsibility for protest activity.

The current disagreement therefore appears to be mainly about consultation and coordination rather than Afridi having no authority at all.

Shafi Jan Says Decision Was Made With PTI and Allies

KP Information Minister Shafi Jan has offered a different account of the September 27 decision.

He said the date had been selected after consultation between PTI and its political allies. Jan also said the party wanted to move forward with opposition groups rather than organise the protest alone.

Afridi has also said the announcement followed consultations with PTI and leaders of the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan, or TTAP.

These claims remain in tension with Sheikh Waqas Akram’s confirmation that PTI’s political and core committees were not taken into confidence.

The difference may reflect consultation with selected leaders or allies without formal approval from PTI’s central committees.

PTI Leaders Give Different Objectives for the March

There is also a difference in how PTI leaders have described the immediate purpose of the Islamabad march.

Sohail Afridi told Geo News that the march’s immediate objective was to restore access to Imran Khan rather than directly secure his release.

Afridi said Imran Khan’s release would take place through the Constitution and legal process, while the protest would focus first on ensuring that party leaders and family members could meet him.

Shafi Jan described the goal more broadly.

He said the ultimate purpose of the movement was Imran Khan’s release and argued that PTI had been left with no other option but to take its protest towards Islamabad.

The two statements do not completely contradict each other, but they show that PTI leaders are presenting different immediate priorities for the same movement.

Shafi Jan Claims Two Million People Will Join

Shafi Jan has made an ambitious claim about the expected size of the march.

Speaking to Geo News, he said PTI would leave Peshawar with two million people and predicted that the protest would have an impact across Pakistan.

The figure is a claim by the KP information minister and should not be treated as a confirmed attendance estimate.

Actual participation will depend on PTI’s mobilisation, support from allied parties, travel arrangements and conditions closer to September 27.

Jan has said the protest will remain peaceful and operate within the law and Constitution.

TTAP Expected to Join as PTI Contacts Other Parties

PTI is also trying to involve opposition allies in the September 27 mobilisation.

According to Shafi Jan, TTAP supports the plan and is expected to participate in the Islamabad long march.

He also said PTI was in contact with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and wanted other political parties to join the movement.

However, contact with a political party does not automatically mean that party has formally agreed to participate.

Any final decision by JUI-F or other opposition groups would need to be confirmed separately by their leadership.

Jan has also said PTI’s doors are open to parties opposed to the federal government and publicly invited the Pakistan Peoples Party to leave its government-linked positions and join the opposition.

Reports of Opposition Within PTI’s KP Ranks

The September 27 plan has also faced resistance from some PTI circles in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Express Tribune reported that some members of the party’s local setup opposed the proposed date and that the hashtag “27 September Long March Na Manzoor” was circulated on social media.

This should not be read as an official rejection by the entire PTI organisation in KP.

There has been no publicly reported formal resolution from the provincial party cancelling or rejecting the march.

The available reporting instead points to objections among sections of the party over the timing and way the announcement was made.

Islamabad March Could Continue for Several Days

PTI leaders have made it clear that they do not want September 27 to be treated as a one-day gathering.

Afridi said protesters would not simply reach Islamabad and then return home, while Shafi Jan said the protest could continue for several days.

This makes the march different from a short rally and raises larger questions about transport, accommodation, security and the party’s final protest location.

As of August 10, detailed information about the exact Islamabad destination, final route and full logistical plan had not been publicly confirmed in the reports reviewed.

August 5 Protest Was Part of PTI’s Wider Campaign

The long march announcement came during PTI’s wider street campaign.

The party held protests on August 5, marking three years since Imran Khan’s imprisonment. The Peshawar rally was part of that mobilisation, and Afridi used the gathering to announce the next major stage of the movement.

Imran Khan has been in prison since August 2023 and continues to face legal cases and appeals. PTI maintains that the cases against him are politically motivated, while those allegations remain part of ongoing legal and political disputes.

Restrictions on meetings with the former prime minister have also become a major issue for PTI’s protest campaign.

What Do PTI’s Internal Differences Mean for the Long March?

The current disagreement shows that PTI still has work to do before September 27.

Three issues are particularly clear.

First, central party committees were not consulted before the date was announced. Second, PTI leaders have given slightly different descriptions of the immediate goal of the march. Third, there are reported objections among some party members over the timing of the protest.

At the same time, Sheikh Waqas Akram has confirmed that Afridi has authority from Imran Khan to lead the street movement.

For that reason, it would be inaccurate at this stage to say that PTI has formally rejected the September 27 march.

The more accurate position is that the party is facing internal differences over consultation, planning and messaging.

What Happens Before September 27?

The coming weeks will show whether PTI can bring its different positions together before the Islamabad march.

One key question is whether PTI’s political and core committees formally endorse the September 27 plan.

The party will also need greater clarity on participation by TTAP, JUI-F and other opposition groups, as well as its final route and protest location.

The size of the mobilisation will be another major test. Shafi Jan has predicted participation in the millions, but there is no independent way to confirm such a number before the protest takes place.

For now, the September 27 long march remains on PTI’s political calendar, with Sohail Afridi publicly committed to leading it.

Whether the party can resolve its internal disagreements before then could play an important role in determining how organised and unified the movement appears when it heads towards Islamabad.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is PTI’s Islamabad long march planned?

PTI’s planned long march towards Islamabad is scheduled for September 27, 2026. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the date at a rally in Peshawar.

2. Why is PTI facing internal differences over the march?

The main disagreement is over consultation. PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram said the party’s political and core committees were not consulted before the date was announced.

3. Who announced the September 27 long march?

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the long march and said he would lead the movement towards Islamabad.

4. Did Imran Khan give Sohail Afridi authority over the street movement?

According to Sheikh Waqas Akram, Imran Khan had placed Sohail Afridi in charge of PTI’s street movement, allowing him to take decisions related to protest activity.

5. What is the main purpose of PTI’s long march?

PTI leaders have described the goals in slightly different ways. Sohail Afridi has focused on restoring access to Imran Khan, while Shafi Jan has described Imran Khan’s release as the wider objective.

6. Will PTI’s allies join the September 27 march?

PTI leaders have said they are in contact with opposition allies, including TTAP and JUI-F. However, final participation by all allied parties has not yet been formally confirmed.

7. Will the Islamabad long march last more than one day?

PTI leaders have indicated that the protest may continue for several days and will not necessarily end after a single gathering in Islamabad.