Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has postponed its planned long march toward Islamabad by one week, moving it to October 4. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the new date at a news conference in Peshawar on Friday. Party leaders reached the decision following hours of consultations.

PTI’s political committee unanimously agreed to begin the march from Peshawar on October 4 instead of September 27. However, Afridi did not detail the specific reason behind the delay. Still, he insisted the party remained fully committed to the protest despite the date change. He also described PTI workers as ready to proceed whenever needed.

The march aims to secure the release of PTI founder and jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Afridi argued that the courts had failed to perform their duties properly. He claimed that if they functioned as they should, Khan’s bail could be secured within half an hour.

Furthermore, Afridi said the Supreme Court had already ordered that Khan be shifted to a hospital, yet officials never implemented that order. Therefore, he called on the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court to ensure compliance and reopen the capital. He warned that PTI workers would otherwise step in to help reopen the city themselves.

PTI had originally announced plans to march toward Islamabad on September 27. The party’s core demands include Khan’s release, a meeting between him and his family and friends, and medical treatment under his personal consultants’ supervision. Additionally, the party said it had exhausted all political, legal and constitutional avenues before turning to street protests.

Afridi also accused the government of planning to create unrest and infiltrate PTI’s ranks with its own people. Even so, he maintained that the PTI long march would remain peaceful throughout. Finally, he reaffirmed that the party’s resolve had not weakened despite the one-week delay.