Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday launched the first phase of its long march from Lakki Marwat, beginning a multi-day mobilisation across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa amid an unresolved political standoff with the federal government.
The march, initially planned for September 27 before being postponed to October 4, is currently scheduled to proceed through several districts before reaching Khairabad on October 8. PTI has so far not announced plans to proceed towards Islamabad, saying the next phase will be revealed later.
The mobilisation follows two rounds of negotiations between the government and opposition that failed to produce an agreement over the weekend. The talks, chaired by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, ended with both sides maintaining their respective positions.
According to K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the march began at Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat, where caravans from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South and North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat were due to converge. Participants will spend the first night near Karak.
On Monday, supporters from Karak are expected to join before the caravan proceeds towards Kohat, where it will stay overnight.
On Tuesday, groups from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai are scheduled to join before the march moves towards Peshawar, with an overnight stop near Matni.
The caravan will resume from Budh Bair in Peshawar on Wednesday, with supporters from Khyber district and other parts of Peshawar joining at designated points before participants spend the night near the Charsadda interchange.
On Thursday, the march will proceed from Charsadda towards Khairabad, picking up supporters from Charsadda and Mohmand along the way.
Afridi said supporters from across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would gather at Khairabad on October 8 and remain there overnight.
PTI is expected to announce the next phase of its long march at Khairabad, leaving open whether the mobilisation will subsequently move towards the federal capital.