Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shafi Jan has said that the September 27 date announced for the long march remains unchanged for now, while reiterating that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) remains committed to negotiations and political dialogue.
He said the door to dialogue remained open; however, there would be no change in the September 27 schedule unless there was tangible and credible progress on the party’s core demands.
Shafi Jan said two principal demands had been set out when the September 27 date was announced at the August 5 public gathering.
The first was to ensure that cases against Imran Khan were fixed for hearing and adjudicated strictly in accordance with law and justice. The second was to ensure his transfer, in view of his health condition, to a facility where he could receive appropriate medical care in the presence of his family members and personal physicians. He said the Supreme Court’s decision concerning Imran Khan’s transfer constituted clear progress on the second demand and that the court’s order must now be implemented fully and without delay. He expressed concern over the delay in implementation of the judicial order.
The provincial information minister said that nothing was more important than Imran Khan’s health and that the matter should not be reduced to a political controversy. He said the government should have taken the decision to facilitate his transfer on humanitarian and moral grounds in the first place. With a clear judicial order now in force, he added, its implementation was the responsibility of the government.
Shafi Jan said the September 27 date was not intended as confrontation for its own sake, but as a means of securing constitutional, legal and political rights. He said the date would remain in place until the stated demands were addressed, while preparations for the movement would continue.
Shafi Jan said PTI had not issued any formal call for a movement since November 26, yet restrictions on political activities had continued to intensify rather than ease. He said Imran Khan had remained in isolation for an extended period and that his sister had been able to meet him only after approximately 265 days.
He said that whenever PTI’s political movement gained momentum or a date was announced, the government began speaking about negotiations. “Our position is clear: negotiations should take place, but they should not be used merely to buy time. What is required is serious, clear and workable progress on the demands,” he said.
The provincial information minister said Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi was personally overseeing the overall process. The chief minister would visit Hangu on Saturday and Buner on Sunday as part of the street movement.
He said the chief minister would subsequently visit other parts of the province, while consultations with allied parties and the party leadership would continue regarding a broader political outreach campaign in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.
Rejecting speculation circulating on social media regarding a possible deal, Shafi Jan categorically said there had been no deal, no backchannel contact and no intention to enter into any secret arrangement.
“If a deal had been the objective, Imran Khan would not have spent nearly 1,000 days in detention,” he said.
Shafi Jan said the matter was not about any deal but about a clear judicial determination. The court had issued its decision, he said, and respect for judicial orders was binding on all stakeholders. The government must therefore ensure the immediate and full implementation of the order.
He said that in the event of non-compliance, PTI would pursue all available legal remedies, including seeking contempt of court proceedings. He expressed confidence that the Supreme Court, having issued its decision in accordance with law and justice, would also ensure its effective implementation.
Shafi Jan reiterated that the September 27 date remained in place for the time being. However, if immediate and genuine progress was made on the demands, the future course of action would be determined through consultations among the party leadership, allied parties and relevant forums.
He said PTI’s priorities were clear: safeguarding Imran Khan’s health, ensuring implementation of the judicial order, securing adjudication of cases strictly on merit, and upholding the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.