The PTI had been gearing up for a nationwide protest and march towards Islamabad to press for the release of its founder, Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail. However, CM Afridi announced a day ago that the march has been postponed to Oct 4.

Speaking to journalists during an informal discussion at KP House, Afridi said that his party had agreed to postpone the march to try and find amicable solutions to the issues through dialogue.

However, he warned that any “misadventure” could lead the situation to a point of no return.

Moreover, Afridi said that the federal government had 52 days to consider these demands, claiming the Centre was seeking time to discuss the issues.

“We are not an armed group”, he asserted. “We want issues resolved through dialogue. No one has refused to engage in a dialogue.”

The KP CM insisted that the PTI’s demands were genuine, including allowing Imran medical treatment at a private hospital in Islamabad, as well as granting him access to his lawyers, relatives and the court-nominated 18 party members.

CM Afridi stressed that he had approached courts and written to the federal government for permission to meet the jailed ex-premier, but was “forced” to announce the Islamabad march in August as concerns regarding Imran’s health persisted.

Asked about speculations regarding the imposition of governor’s rule in KP, the chief minister said his supporters will be “on the road on a 24-hour notice”. “They would not be able to afford my removal,” he contended.

Asked if there was any likely successor in the event of his removal from his office, the KP CM replied that it would be Imran’s prerogative. Afridi had been elected as the chief minister in October 2025, after the PTI founder had told Ali Amin Gandapur to resign.

The chief minister also criticised his counterpart in Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and others for allegedly singling out Pakhtuns, claiming that there was a “well-hatched conspiracy” to divide Pakistan.

“We are patriotic Pakistanis, and we are peaceful people. We will not allow any conspiracy to succeed,” he said.

Defending his performance as the chief minister, Afridi highlighted that his government met high revenue targets and provided resources to the police to fight terrorism in the province.

The PTI leader also reiterated his criticism of the federal government’s current Afghanistan policy and its failure to overcome terrorism.

Afridi recalled that he had presented his own plan to the country’s military and civilian leadership to restore peace in the province by re-engaging with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, reopening the border and ending the distinction between the so-called “good and bad Taliban”.

In the Rawalpindi Division and the federal capital territory, security measures and preparations to deal with any emergency situation remain in place despite the postponement of the march.

Punjab had already imposed a ban on gatherings across the province until Oct 5 and prohibited inciting people to “unlawful assembly”. A similar ban under Section 144 has been enforced in Islamabad for two months.

The federal government has also approved the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad and several districts of Punjab from Sept 20 to Oct 5.

Info minister calls Afridi a ‘coward’

Meanwhile, Information Minister Tarar defended the Centre’s counterterrorism policy and slammed the KP chief minister for his stance on the issue.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside the prime minister’s coordinator for KP Ikhtiar Wali, Tarar said: “Sohail Khan Afridi has lost his credibility and does not fight terrorists.

“Why do I call him a coward? This is the one party that is the TTP’s B-team and the TTA’s C-team,” he said, referring to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Afghanistan.

“He does not want to take ownership of operations against terrorists, nor does he believe in them. Nor has he done anything, because of cowardice,” Tarar added.

He claimed that the PTI had become weaker than ever and lost its political standing, alleging that the party had links with terrorists and was reluctant to condemn militant activities.

“You don’t want to fight terrorism, and you are finished on the political front as well.”

The minister asserted, “Our policy is not cowardice. We say openly that terrorists will be eliminated completely.”

Recognising the sacrifices made by the police and security forces, Tarar emphasised that the government was determined to completely eliminate terrorism.

“In 2026, over 4,600 suicide attacks may have happened, over 400 people may have been killed and over 1,500 injured, but will the provincial government listen?” he said.

Speaking about the PTI’s march, he remarked, “They said they will come for the march at their own time […] You can claim it is your choice, but it is not your decision and it is not your march.”

The waterway, key to the world’s oil supply, is central to the conflict between the United States and Iran, which is at a stalemate after nearly seven months. But new mediation efforts at the UN’s gathering of world leaders in New York this week offered some optimism of progress toward a deal.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met for talks on Tuesday with Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, and previously set out conditions for ending the war and reopening the vital shipping channel.

“Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are met, the strait can be reopened, and normal maritime passage restored within seven days,” Araghchi said at the UN.

“The choice now rests with the United States. Iran does not accept coercion, threats, or intimidation, and Iran will not surrender its sovereign rights under pressure.”

However, Trump told reporters at the White House that “They (Iran) made a proposal, but I rejected it.”

Earlier today, The Wall Street Journal reported Trump had rejected the proposal, citing US officials familiar with the matter.

The report noted that the 80-year-old president was sceptical Tehran would meet his demands and added he sees a renewed bombing campaign as likely.

Trump also posted an image to his Truth Social platform of a map showing the Strait of Hormuz circled and labelled “Trump Strait.”

Earlier media reports suggested the new plan calls for a cessation of all hostilities in the Middle East for seven days, including in Lebanon.

Frozen assets

It also reportedly calls for the release of frozen Iranian assets estimated to be worth at least $12 billion, as well as the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil and an end to the US naval blockade of Iran.

On the seventh day of the truce, Iran would reopen Hormuz.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in an interview with broadcaster CBS that the ceasefire “process will begin from the very day they accept it.”

“We had previously reached an agreement based on the MOU that was signed in Pakistan … if the United States agrees to proceed in that way, everything will return to the way it was before,” he added.

Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for the Revolutionary Guards, told AFP in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that ending hostilities in Yemen was also among Tehran’s demands.

The US and Iran signed a Pakistani-mediated memorandum of understanding in June that aimed to end the war, reopen the strait and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear programme.

But the deal broke down shortly afterwards when Iran fired on commercial ships in Hormuz that it accused of deviating from its approved route through the waterway.

Iran requires ships to obtain authorisation before passage, citing security and sovereignty reasons.

Ships that refuse to comply are regularly targeted, while the United States sporadically bombs Iranian coastal areas in retaliation.