MALAKAND: Reiterating his stance about marching towards Islamabad on Oct 4, Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that the leaders and workers of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) would reach the federal capital on motorcycles and on foot if they could not arrange transport.

Addressing party workers at Pul Chowki Interchange in Malakand, he said that they would reach Islamabad on motorcycles and bicycles adorned with party flags if they could not secure vehicles.

“We will reach Islamabad on foot to celebrate the birthday of our leader Imran Khan on October 5,” he told the workers. He said that the event at Pul Chowki was organised to show solidarity with Provincial Minister Shakil Khan, who was loyal to PTI founder Imran Khan.

The chief minister said that people in plainclothes could not stop them from following their ideology and vowed to stand by Shakil Khan until the very end.

About possible imposition of governor’s rule in the province, he said that he did not care about his position and would stick to his mission of securing Imran Khan’s release from jail.

He said that he neither sought office nor power, but rather justice, the rule of law, the Constitution, democracy, and ‘real freedom’ for the country.

Mr Afridi remarked that the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments paralysed the judiciary, noting that Imran Khan’s cases had not been heard for months.

He said whenever courts became ‘truly independent’ and heard Imran Khan’s cases, he would be set free within half an hour.

“We have decided to launch a march on October 4 to secure meetings with our leader, as well as his release from jail and his right to seek medical treatment,” he said.

He said that decisions made behind ‘closed doors’ would no longer be accepted. “You must stand up for your rights and your future, and have faith in your leadership,” he told PTI workers.

He said that rulers had undermined the economy. He said that labourers were not receiving their due wages and farmers were being driven to suicides while youth were leaving the country due to ‘flawed’ policies of the federal government.

He said that PTI workers were being treated as second-class citizens. “We are patriotic Pakistanis. We must stand up for an independent judiciary and a free press. No one can force me to retreat even an inch,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2026