ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government and main opposition party traded accusations on Friday as supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan continued a protest march toward the capital, deepening a political standoff over his imprisonment and security policy in the country’s northwest.

The confrontation pits Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s federal government against Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which governs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where a resurgence of militant violence has intensified disagreements over counterterrorism operations.

The march, led by provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, began on last week and has moved slowly through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with its route repeatedly revised. The party plans to reach Swabi on Oct. 11 before deciding its next move toward Islamabad, as efforts to revive negotiations continue.

Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad on Friday, Parliamentary Secretary for Information Danyal Chaudhry accused PTI of mobilizing supporters through hostility toward the federal government and state institutions, while failing to adequately address militant violence in the province.

“So what more can we negotiate with those who gather people on the basis of hatred?” Chaudhry asked, referring to reports of renewed attempts to mediate between the government and opposition.

PTI has rejected accusations that it is sympathetic to militants, arguing that counterterrorism measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must be developed through consultation rather than imposed by the federal authorities.

CM Afridi, addressing supporters during the march this week, said he would oppose further military operations in the province, while insisting that his party’s campaign would remain peaceful and constitutional.

The political confrontation has raised the possibility of federal intervention in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan’s only PTI-governed province, where authorities are also confronting a wave of attacks targeting security personnel and civilians.

Federal officials have discussed the possibility of imposing governor’s rule or emergency measures, which could allow Islamabad to assume certain functions of the provincial administration. No such decision has been announced.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, a federal representative in the province, cited recent militant attacks when questioned about the conditions for imposing governor’s rule, but said any decision would rest with the country’s president and prime minister.

Under Article 234 of Pakistan’s constitution, the president can issue a proclamation allowing federal intervention if satisfied that a provincial government cannot function in accordance with constitutional provisions. Such a move would be subject to parliamentary approval.

EFFORTS TO REVIVE TALKS

The latest confrontation comes after two rounds of negotiations between the government and PTI collapsed over access to Khan and differences concerning counterterrorism policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

PTI says meaningful negotiations cannot proceed without Khan’s involvement, while the government has accused the opposition of undermining earlier efforts to reach an agreement.

On Thursday, PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Secretary Shaukat Yousafzai told Arab News that Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party, was attempting to resolve the deadlock.

“Maulana Fazlur Rehman Sahib is involved… We have full trust in him,” Yousafzai said, adding that there had been no direct contact between the government and PTI.

The possibility of renewed mediation has offered a potential route out of the confrontation, although neither side has announced a breakthrough.

Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 until his removal through a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April 2022, has been imprisoned since August 2023. He faces multiple criminal cases and is serving a prison sentence in a corruption case that he says is politically motivated.

His detention has fueled repeated protests and confrontations with the authorities. A major PTI march on Islamabad in November 2024 ended in clashes between demonstrators and security forces, with both sides disputing the circumstances and scale of the casualties.

MARCH CONTINUES

PTI supporters arrived in Peshawar on Thursday, with the party planning to move toward Charsadda on Friday and Mardan on Saturday before proceeding to Swabi.

“After an overnight stay in Swabi, the next course of action for the Long March will be decided,” the party said in a statement.

The repeated changes to the march’s itinerary have left uncertainty over when, or how, protesters intend to enter Islamabad.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned against violent demonstrations, saying the government will protect residents’ access to education, health care and business activity in the capital.

The standoff has also disrupted transport and commercial activity, with earlier road restrictions affecting freight movements between Karachi and northern Pakistan.

-With additional inputs from Reuters