KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi Launches PTI Street Movement From Bannu

BANNU, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has announced the launch of a street movement from Bannu, saying Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf supporters from across the province will march towards Adiala Jail on September 27.

Addressing party workers in Bannu on Sunday, Afridi said he would personally lead the planned march and that participants would stage a sit-in until the movement’s demands were accepted and “practical results” achieved.

The announcement marks an escalation in PTI’s political mobilisation around its jailed founder and former prime minister Imran Khan.

September 27 march towards Adiala Jail

Afridi said a large number of people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would participate in the September 27 mobilisation and travel towards Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

He described the planned campaign as a major street movement and said it was deliberately being launched from Bannu because political movements originating from the district had succeeded in the past.

The chief minister made the remarks while visiting reception camps established by local PTI leaders and elected representatives.

Among those involved in organising the reception camps were MNA Maulana Syed Naseem Ali Shah, PTI district president Haji Malik Gulbaz Khan, MPA Malik Pakhtun Yar Khan and other regional party figures.

Afridi puts youth at centre of campaign

Afridi placed particular emphasis on young Pakistanis while outlining the political significance of the movement.

He said the country’s youth would “change the course and destiny of Pakistan,” presenting younger supporters as a central force behind PTI’s political campaign.

The chief minister claimed that Imran Khan and PTI had developed a particularly strong connection with younger Pakistanis and argued that attempts to politically marginalise the party would not succeed.

His comments underscore PTI’s continued strategy of mobilising its grassroots support around Khan, who remains incarcerated at Adiala Jail.

Bannu chosen as starting point

Afridi said Bannu’s political history influenced the decision to begin the campaign from the southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district.

According to the chief minister, previous movements launched from Bannu had achieved their objectives, giving the district symbolic importance for the latest campaign.

The announcement also indicates that PTI intends to build momentum over several weeks before the planned September 27 march.

Further details regarding the route, participation from other provinces, security arrangements and the specific programme for the proposed sit-in were not outlined in the initial announcement.

Political mobilisation set to intensify

The proposed march could become a significant political event if PTI succeeds in mobilising large numbers of supporters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other areas.

Adiala Jail has repeatedly become a focal point for PTI supporters because of Imran Khan’s imprisonment there.

Afridi’s announcement suggests the party’s political strategy is increasingly shifting towards sustained public mobilisation alongside its other political and legal efforts.

With more than a month remaining before the announced September 27 march, attention will now turn to PTI’s preparations, the response from federal and Punjab authorities and any negotiations that could affect the planned protest.

For now, Afridi has made clear that the party intends to proceed with the mobilisation and has presented Bannu as the starting point for a wider street campaign.