PTI March Set for October 4 as Sohail Afridi Faces Imran Khan Removal Claims

PESHAWAR, — September 28, 2026 — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned march on Islamabad is now scheduled for October 4, while a separate internal political dispute has emerged over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, with reports claiming that Imran Khan wants him removed and PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan publicly denying that any such instruction was issued. (ARY News; UrduPoint)

Afridi reiterated on Monday that PTI workers would march toward Islamabad on October 4, saying they would travel by motorcycles, bicycles or even on foot if transportation was unavailable. He linked the mobilisation to demands including Imran Khan’s release, constitutional rule and what PTI describes as an independent judiciary. (Dawn)

The march was originally planned for September 27 but was postponed by PTI’s political committee to October 4. Authorities had previously imposed extensive restrictions and road closures around Islamabad and along routes connecting the capital with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Islamabad-Peshawar GT Road has since reopened, while restoration work continues on sections of the motorway network. (Dawn)

The internal dispute surfaced after ARY News reported that Imran Khan had allegedly conveyed dissatisfaction with Afridi and that a group of around 35 PTI MPAs was opposed to the chief minister. Sher Afzal Marwat subsequently confirmed the existence of a no-confidence threat and said Afridi’s government could face difficulties even if the Islamabad march takes place. These claims were attributed to sources and Marwat and have not been independently established. (ARY News)

The reported message has been directly disputed by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. Gohar said Imran Khan had neither sent a message seeking Afridi’s removal nor instructed anyone to move a no-confidence motion against him. He said Afridi continued to have Khan’s confidence and rejected reports of a split within the PTI provincial leadership. (UrduPoint)

The controversy has produced competing reactions within PTI. Marwat has publicly backed the reports of internal opposition to Afridi, while Gohar has rejected them. Former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur has also criticised the postponement of the Islamabad march, saying the change of date weakened PTI’s position and that the party had not made sufficient preparations for the mobilisation. (Geo News; ARY News)

Afridi, meanwhile, has continued to present himself as the leader of the October 4 mobilisation. He said he was prepared to leave the Chief Minister’s House rather than abandon his political position and rejected suggestions that threats of governor’s rule or an emergency would make him change course. (ARY News)

The political dispute comes as Afridi has also offered talks with the federal government, saying the remaining days before October 4 could be used to resolve the confrontation through negotiations. At the same time, he has warned against any action that could further escalate tensions. (Geo News; Dawn)

For now, there is no independently confirmed no-confidence motion against Afridi. What is established is that senior PTI figures are publicly giving conflicting accounts: Marwat says Imran Khan wanted action against the chief minister, while Gohar says no such instruction was issued. Afridi continues preparing for the October 4 march as the dispute unfolds alongside PTI’s confrontation with the federal government. (ARY News; UrduPoint; Dawn)