• PTI provincial, central leaders back march.
• Afridi rejects allegations of secret deal.
• Aleema “has nothing to do with politics”.
  

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has said PTI’s political leadership and the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) alliance are on board with the September 27 long march to Islamabad.

Speaking to Hamid Mir on Geo News’ programme “Capital Talk”, Afridi said the date had been decided jointly by the party’s provincial and central leadership along with its allied group.

“All our political leadership, the provincial leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf across all provinces, and central, and along with that the alliance too, Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan — yes, all of them are on board,” he said.

Afridi was responding to concerns raised by Aleema Khan, the sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, who has reportedly questioned why the long march was scheduled for September 27 rather than an earlier date.

Describing Aleema as “non-political”, Afridi said she would speak in her capacity as Imran Khan’s sister and expressed confidence that he would be able to convince her after explaining the “facts and figures” behind the decision.

“Aleema apa is Imran Khan sahib’s sister, and we repeatedly say that she is non-political; she has nothing to do with politics,” he said. “We will, God willing, satisfy her.”

Deal?

Afridi also rejected allegations by PTI leaders based overseas that he had agreed to the September 27 date following a secret deal.

He said those making such allegations should have contacted him first instead of raising them on public platforms.

“This is an attempt to mislead people, and this should not happen,” Afridi said, adding that those who were sincere with Imran and PTI should not make such allegations publicly without first seeking clarification.

Responding to a specific claim that he had met Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and another official on August 4 before announcing the long march date, Afridi termed the allegation “completely baseless”.

He said he had been at the KP House in Islamabad from noon until 4:30pm that day, attending meetings related to the province’s Pado KP and telemedicine initiatives.

“From 12:00 until 4:30pm, those meetings were right here at the KP House,” he said.

When asked whether the alleged meeting had taken place in Peshawar, Afridi denied it, saying he had been in Islamabad.

“No, I was at the KP House in Islamabad,” he said, rejecting the allegation as “sheer” and baseless.

‘No other option’

A day earlier, PTI leader Shafi Jan said the party has no option left but to launch a long march with an ultimate goal of party founder’s release, announcing that it will head from Peshawar to Islamabad with two million people.

Speaking on Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan,” Jan, who is also the KP CM’s aide, said PTI workers are protesting because “nobody is listening to us”, adding that the long march was their “last option”.

“We will leave Peshawar with two million people,” he said, adding that the impact of the march would be felt across the country.

Imran, 73, has remained in prison since August 2023 following convictions he and his party describe as politically motivated.

Since his ouster in April 2022 through a no-confidence vote, he has faced multiple legal cases, including allegations relating to state gifts and an unlawful marriage case.

While some convictions have been suspended or overturned, several appeals remain pending before higher courts. Imran and his party continue to deny all allegations of wrongdoing.