Dawn
· collected 2026-09-25 · by Ikram JunaidiIftikhar A. Khan
PTI leader Naeem Haider Panjutha suggested Thursday that the party's planned September 27 protest march to Islamabad could be postponed if the government agrees to hold elections within six to eight months, release political prisoners like Imran Khan, and investigate recent crackdowns. However, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram denied discussing any postponement, stating only Imran Khan can decide on delaying the march. The government has deployed Rangers in Islamabad and several Punjab districts ahead of the protest.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-25,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 18, Section 144 of Pakistan's Criminal Procedure Code was imposed in Islamabad, effective immediately for two months. The order prohibits gatherings of five or more people and any protests towards the capital to prevent unrest. This move came as a response to opposition leader Imran Khan’s planned march to demand his release from jail, where he has been held since 2023 on corruption charges.
Leaders from Khan's party, PTI, had initially announced they would proceed with the nationwide demonstration starting September 27 but later decided to postpone it. On September 29, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi formally announced that PTI’s long march towards Islamabad would now commence on October 4 from Peshawar, instead of the original date.
The government has deployed tens of thousands of police forces and taken other security measures to prevent Khan's supporters from marching into Islamabad. Despite these efforts, PTI leaders argue that their protest is constitutional and peaceful. The postponement appears to be a strategic decision by the party to exhaust the government further or due to logistical challenges posed by road blockades and other preventive measures. Analysts suggest this could still present a significant challenge for Pakistan’s military-backed government, which is already facing criticism over its legitimacy and popularity. The PTI leaders continue to assert their commitment to upholding constitutional rights and demand justice for Imran Khan's release.
Written for “PTI Protest Postponement” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 13 other(s) covering the same event.
• Panjutha hints at possibility of postponement, links it to acceptance of party’s demands for Imran’s release, snap polls, probe into May 9 events
•
uncertain
Panjutha → hint → events
PTI spox says no such proposal being discussed, insists only founder can postpone march
•
asserted
founder → say → march
Govt deploys Rangers in Islamabad, multiple districts of Punjab ahead of PTI protest
ISLAMABAD:
asserted
Govt → deploy → protest
A PTI leader on Thursday hinted at the possibility of postponing its protest march if the federal government agreed to hold elections within six to eight months, release party chief Imran Khan and other political prisoners, and investigate May 9 and November 26 crackdowns on the opposition party.
uncertain
government → hint → party
Advocate Naeem Haider Panjutha told Dawn that the protest could be postponed if these three assurances were given by the government.
uncertain
assurances → tell → government
There was no clarity on where such a proposal originated from, which added to confusion about the PTI’s plans for its Sept 27 protest.
asserted
which → be → protest
Party spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram, however, denied any such proposal was being discussed at any party forum, saying only Imran Khan could take a decision even if such a proposal was on the table.
“
uncertain
proposal → deny → table
The first and primary condition is that the public mandate be respected and for that free, fair and transparent elections must be held within six to eight months,” Mr Panjutha said, while demanding a clear guarantee that elections would be held before the end of this financial year.
asserted
elections → respect → year
All political prisoners, including Imran Khan, must be released — not through any deal or political settlement, but through the courts and due process of law, he said, adding that all cases against Imran Khan were “weak”.
asserted
cases → include → Khan
“If these three demands are fulfilled, the march can be postponed,” he said, adding that in case these demands were ignored, the PTI would be “coming with no compromise, no retreat, and no turning back”.
asserted
PTI → fulfil → compromise
On the other hand, Sheikh Waqas Akram told Dawn the above mentioned conditions were shared with the government after the D-Chowk incident, but the government had not responded positively, so the conditions were then withdrawn on the order of Imran Khan.
asserted
conditions → tell → Khan
“We have not received any concrete offer from the government side, so the long march will be held come what may.
uncertain
what → receive → side
Even if we get an offer, we will demand to arrange a meeting with Imran Khan, as only he can postpone it,” he added.
asserted
he → get → it
Sheikh Waqas said the PTI cannot afford to announce postponement of march, especially when its ministers were being abducted.
asserted
ministers → say → march
In a meeting held at the opposition chamber in the Senate, PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar met Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and discussed preparations for the planned long march.
asserted
Khan → hold → march
According to a statement issued by the Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-i-Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP), the participants held a detailed discussion on the prevailing situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and growing challenges to provincial autonomy.
uncertain
participants → accord → autonomy
The meeting also focused on the Sept 27 march, preparations for the event and the strategy to be adopted in the coming days.
asserted
meeting → focus → days
Rangers deployed
asserted
Rangers → deploy → ?
Separately, the federal government approved the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad and several districts of Punjab from Sept 20 to Oct 5.
asserted
government → approve → Oct
“Pursuant to the request made by the chief commissioner, Islamabad Capital Territory … and Home Department, government of Punjab …, the federal government is pleased to authorise deployment of sufficient strength of troops of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) in ICT and different districts of Punjab province,” an interior ministry notification read.
asserted
notification → make → province
The deployment has been authorised under Sections 7(b) and 10 of the Pakistan Rangers Ordinance, 1959, and Sections 4 and 5 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, to perform functions specified under the laws, as authorised by the Islamabad chief commissioner or the provincial government.
“The deployed troops may respond appropriately in self-defence to any threats or violent activities encountered in the course of their duties as per rules/regulations in vogue,” the notification stated.
uncertain
notification → authorise → vogue
The Punjab government also sent a letter to the interior ministry requesting mobile and internet services at specific locations in Rawalpindi and Attock to be downgraded or jammed on Sept 27.
asserted
services → send → Sept
The Aporia
