Aleema Khan, the sister of the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has questioned the party’s decision to announce a long march on Islamabad for 27 September following the call made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi.
Aleema Khan reacted to the announcement by saying that she did not understand why the protest had been scheduled so far in advance.
She said, “They are making Imran Khan wait. We do not understand this call,” adding that she could not understand the reason for the delay in fixing the date for the planned long march toward Islamabad.
Aleema Khan’s reaction came a day after Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced the proposed protest during a large public rally held to mark three years since the imprisonment of PTI founder Imran Khan.
Addressing supporters, Afridi said the party would march on Islamabad on 27 September if the cases involving Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were not heard on merit and restrictions on their meetings with lawyers, family members, and political leaders were not removed.
The gathering was attended by a large number of supporters from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and the party’s provincial president, MNA Junaid Akbar Khan, also addressed the rally.
During his speech, CM Afridi claimed that Imran Khan would be released “within 30 minutes” if the judiciary independently decided his cases on merit. Without naming any judges or courts, he warned that the party would proceed with the planned march if justice was not delivered.
Furthermore, PTI has formally announced on Thursday that it will hold a long march on Islamabad on 27 September, with party leaders preparing a nationwide campaign to support what they describe as a major political movement.
According to party sources, the early announcement of the date is intended to allow sufficient time to mobilise supporters across the country.
The sources said the party plans to organise the protest as a significant political campaign and considers it the final phase of its current movement.
PTI is expected to launch a special fundraising drive to cover the costs of the long march, including transport, accommodation for party workers and legal expenses.
Party sources said fundraising efforts will be carried out both within and outside the party, while members of the national and provincial assemblies, along with party office-bearers, will also be asked to make special financial contributions.
The sources added that a dedicated legal team will be established to provide legal assistance to party workers in the event of arrests during the protest campaign.
The preparations come as PTI seeks to overcome financial constraints, with party sources acknowledging that limited funds have made it necessary to organise a comprehensive fundraising effort before the march.
Meanwhile, the timing of the planned protest has drawn criticism from within the party. Aleema Khan, the sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, questioned the decision to announce the march several weeks in advance.
According to 24NewsHD TV, she said she did not understand why the protest had been scheduled so far ahead, remarking, “They are making Imran Khan wait. We do not understand this call” and questioning the reason for the delay.
