Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister (CM) Ali Amin Gandapur said on Monday that he had turned back a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) convoy in Dera Ismail Khan after police stopped its movement under Section 144.
In a voice note posted on X, Gandapur said the convoy was stopped after setting out from Dera Ismail Khan and nearby districts, with police citing the three-day enforcement of Section 144.
“We waited there for several hours hoping for further strategy or instructions,” Gandapur said, adding that party workers had been directed to abide by the law, remain peaceful and avoid confrontation.
He said the instructions included not breaking barriers, carrying sticks or slingshots or engaging with law enforcement agencies. Gandapur added these directions had come from KP CM Sohail Afridi and PTI leadership, and had to be followed.
After nightfall, Gandapur said he consulted with other participants and decided to return home rather than remain at what he described as an unsafe location near a toll plaza that had previously witnessed attacks and lacked security clearance.
“We decided it was best not to remain at an unsafe location,” he said, adding that the convoy could be reassembled within hours once fresh instructions were received from the party leadership.
Meanwhile, a separate caravan led by KP CM Sohail Afridi set off from Gandi Chowk in KP’s Lakki Marwat on October 4.
In a post on X, PTI’s official account said that following the successful start of the long march, its second phase would begin from Karak at noon on Monday (Oct 5).
PTI had planned the march towards Islamabad to demand the release of party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan. The protest was initially scheduled for September 27 but was later rescheduled for October 4.
The developments come amid heightened tensions between PTI and the federal government, with federal ministers warning that governor’s rule or an emergency in KP could be considered over security concerns.
On Saturday night, negotiations between the government and PTI failed due to what was labelled by the federal government as “stubbornness” of KP government.
