Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Friday announced the next phase of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) long march, calling on people from across the country to reach Swabi Interchange on Oct 11 and outlining plans for the participation of various divisions till Oct 14, as the march entered its sixth day. In a post on X, Afridi directed parliamentarians, party office-bearers, organisational officials and workers from across Pakistan to arrange transport and ensure their arrival at Swabi Interchange on Oct 11. “Starting tomorrow, begin getting them there by any means possible. All Pakistanis should also arrive on that same day,” he said. Under the announced schedule, caravans from Peshawar and Malakand regions, as well as Kohat Division, including Karak, would reach Swabi Interchange on Oct 13. Mr Afridi said he had instructed parliamentarians and the party organisation to ensure workers from these areas joined the gathering. ۱۱ اکتوبر کو پورے پاکستان سے لوگ صوابی انٹرچینج پر آئینگے۔ پورے پاکستان سے پارلیمینٹیرینز اور تنظیمی عہدیدار ورکرز کو صوابی انٹرچینج تک پہنچائے۔ کل سے کسی بھی طریقے سے اُن کا پہنچنا شروع کریں۔ تمام پاکستانی بھی اُسی دن پہنچے۔ ۱۳ اکتوبر کو خیبرپختونخواہ کا پشاور ریجن، ملاکنڈ… — Sohail Afridi (@SohailAfridiISF) October 9, 2026 He said caravans from Hazara region, Bannu Division and Dera Ismail Khan Division would arrive on Oct 14, when the party would announce its plan for moving beyond Swabi Interchange. “Insha’Allah, on Oct 14, we will advance from Swabi onward,” the chief minister said. Earlier, addressing the participants at Shabqadar Chowk, CM Afridi also criticised the federal government over its security and economic policies, arguing that Pakistan’s progress had been derailed by what he described as a regime-change operation while defending the PTI’s record in government and calling for an end to what he termed political victimisation. The chief minister said K-P had experienced peace and prosperity during Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, adding that the country’s economic indicators had been positive during that period. “The true leadership works for the welfare and prosperity of the people,” he said, alleging that decisions taken behind closed doors and the regime-change operation had halted Pakistan’s development. He blamed what he described as foreign conspirators and internal traitors for pushing the country away from the path of progress. CM Afridi claimed that 14,000 intelligence-based operations and 22 major military operations had been conducted in Pakistan between 2004 and 2026, alleging that the objective of these operations was not to eliminate terrorism but to target the PTI and Imran Khan. He said people who had been loyal to Pakistan had repeatedly been branded traitors since 1947, citing the cases of Bacha Khan and Fatima Jinnah, the sister of the country's founder, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He alleged that patriotic citizens were now being accused of terrorism as the truth about those responsible for violence came to light. “We know, and they also know, who the real terrorists are,” he said. CM Afridi said residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police personnel and soldiers were making daily sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, adding that his proposals for ending terrorism were not being taken seriously. He further claimed that the federal government owed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa more than Rs5,000bn and was not providing the province with its due share under the National Finance Commission award. He accused the federal government of merely pretending to sympathise with the province. Defending his provincial government’s performance, CM Afridi said K-P police had some of the best weapons and modern equipment in the country and that the force had one of the lowest levels of corruption. He said the province had received an award for digital governance, while its Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system and provincial assembly had secured top positions in their respective categories. The chief minister criticised Pakistan’s foreign policy, saying relations with neighbouring countries were not good because of its failures, claiming that trade with neighbouring countries could generate $100 billion in annual business and Rs27,000b in revenue. He appealed to people from all sections of society to play their role in achieving what he called genuine freedom and sovereignty. Separately, addressing the workers in Charsadda, CM Afridi said that PTI would announce its "final plan" in Swabi, which would leave its opponents "sleepless". “This is not a long march; these are the conditions for a revolution,” CM Afridi said while addressing party workers at Shabqadar Chowk in Charsadda, where the PTI long march had entered the district’s limits. The chief minister said the public response to the march had been overwhelming. “When the long march entered Peshawar, the streets were filled with people,” he said, expressing appreciation for the enthusiasm displayed by party supporters. چارسدہ پہنچنے پر لانگ مارچ کے شرکاء سے وزیراعلی خیبر پختونخواہ کا پشتو میں خطاب۔۔ دفعہ 804 کے نافذ ہونے کا اعلان شرکاء کا جوش قابل دید۔#عوامی_مزاحمت_کی_للکار pic.twitter.com/Kleztg2yo8 — PTI (@PTIofficial) October 9, 2026 CM Afridi urged workers to sustain their passion and commitment until the march reached Swabi. Reiterating that he would announce the march’s next phase in Swabi, without disclosing further details. He also expressed confidence that the strategy he intended to announce would succeed through public support “The power of the people would ultimately prevail,” he stressed during the speech. Addressing concerns over threats against him, Afridi said he was aware of the warnings. “I know that threats are being made, but you [PTI supporters] must not be afraid,” he told the long march attendees. The chief minister also criticised the prevailing situation in the country, saying the conditions in interior Sindh, Punjab and K-P were unlike anything he had witnessed before. CM Afridi addressing PTI Long March in Peshawar on October 9, 2026. Photo: Screengrab Earlier in the day, addressing party workers at Bakshi Bridge in Peshawar, CM Afridi had said the next course of action regarding the movement would be announced in Charsadda before the march proceeded to Mardan and then Swabi. He urged workers to maintain their enthusiasm and said there had been no decline in public participation as he travelled from one end of Peshawar to the other. “I would like to thank the people of Peshawar from the bottom of my heart. I have travelled from one end of Peshawar to the other, but God willing, there has been no decline in the public’s enthusiasm, passion or participation,” he said. Read: Bilawal urges PTI to return to political engagement, says governor's rule in K-P would be 'atomic bomb' The chief minister said the party had moved beyond the equivalent of a Test match and was ready for shorter formats, using cricketing terminology to describe the next phase of its campaign. “We have played a Test match; now we have to play One-Day, T20 and T10,” he said, adding that the party was even prepared to play “Super Sixes” if workers demanded it. According to PTI’s social media handle, the chief minister will address various gatherings in Charsadda and stay for the night. It also said that CM Afridi is accompanied by the party’s provincial president, parliamentary leadership, and other party leaders. بالقسط لانگ مارچ — چھٹا دن! وزیراعلیٰ خیبر پختونخوا محمد سہیل خان آفریدی کی قیادت میں بالقسط لانگ مارچ کے چھٹے دن کا آغاز پشاور سے ہو گیا ہے۔ وزیراعلیٰ کے ہمراہ صوبائی صدر، پارلیمانی قیادت اور پارٹی رہنما کنٹینر پر موجود ہیں۔ لانگ مارچ کا قافلہ آج چارسدہ پہنچے گا، جہاں قیام کے… pic.twitter.com/Bu1u4a0v4x — PTI (@PTIofficial) October 9, 2026 PTI’s Salman Akram Raja rules out compromise, predicts large Punjab turnout for long march Separately, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said the party would not enter into any agreement that compromised its principles, vowing that Punjab would participate in the planned long march with a large number of caravans. Speaking to the media at the Lahore High Court, Raja said the lives of ordinary citizens were paramount for the party, and it would not take part in any action that causes bloodshed of innocent people. “We are prepared to endure every hardship, but we will not abandon our principles,” he vowed. Read more: LHC seeks report on facilities provided to Imran’s sisters in jail Raja outlined that he was discharging multiple responsibilities as the party’s secretary general and was also looking after the cases of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi. Commenting on the situation in K-P, Raja claimed that the provincial government had ceased to function and allegedly even a deputy commissioner was refusing to comply with orders. He condemned what he described as a crackdown on PTI workers in Peshawar the previous day, claiming that several party workers had been abducted. “We will endure this brutality because we stand for the truth,” he said, remarking that fascism had taken over the country and urging those with authority to “exercise restraint and reconsider their actions”. How did it all start? The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced its long march towards Islamabad to press for the release of party founder Imran Khan, accelerate hearings in cases against him and his wife Bushra Bibi, address concerns over his medical treatment and seek an end to restrictions on meetings with him. The party initially planned to launch the march on September 27, but on September 26 CM Afridi rescheduled the protest to take place on October 4, amid extensive security and traffic restrictions and continuing efforts to negotiate with the federal government. He said the postponement was a unanimous decision of the party’s political committee. On October 4, the long march began from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat under CM Afridi’s leadership, with participants from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat joining the procession. According to the announced schedule, the convoy was to travel through Karak and Kohat before reaching Peshawar, with additional participants joining along the route. The protest unfolded amid heightened political tensions and a breakdown in negotiations between the government and opposition. A number of government officials, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, accused the K-P government of foiling negotiations, saying the two sides had made substantial progress before reaching an impasse over terrorism-related issues. The PTI, meanwhile, maintained that its demands and concerns required a political, not an armed response. As the convoy progressed through the province, Afridi called for constitutional supremacy, the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights. PTI leaders pledged that the long march would remain peaceful and continue until the party’s demands were addressed. According to the schedule reported by The Express Tribune, the march was due to reach Charsadda on October 9, Mardan on October 10 and Swabi on October 11, with the party expected to decide its next steps after reaching Swabi.