PM Shehbaz Links Fresh Talks to End of PTI Long March October 4

Shehbaz Sharif – (Staff Reporter/Web Desk) – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has made a fresh offer of talks to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The offer came on Tuesday, while the PTI long march October 4 continues to move toward the capital. There is one condition: the party must first end its protest.

Speaking at an event in Islamabad, the prime minister said the country was once again facing the shadow of sit-ins and long marches. He called it an unfortunate situation for the nation.

He said the ruling coalition had agreed together to hold talks with PTI. The goal, he explained, is to convince the party to give up the politics of dharnas.

His message to the PTI leadership was direct. He asked them to think carefully, end the march and the sit-in, and then sit down with the government.

The march is being led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. On Tuesday, it reached Kohat in the province. PTI, founded by Imran Khan, runs the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The march began on October 4, soon after earlier negotiations failed. A delegation from the government and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had met PTI for three rounds of talks. Those talks broke down on Sunday morning.

After the breakdown, both sides blamed each other. Neither side accepted responsibility for the failure.

The protest was not new to the calendar either. PTI had earlier pushed the march date from September 27 to October 4. Government officials, meanwhile, have repeatedly said that the march will not be allowed to enter Islamabad.

The prime minister also spoke about the economy. He warned that long marches and sit-ins would first damage the country’s economic activity. In his view, protests can hurt exports, imports and factory production.

He gave a simple example. If workers and engineers cannot reach their factories and offices on time, the loss will fall on Pakistan as a whole.

Shehbaz Sharif said the government had worked hard for two and a half years to put the economy back on its feet. He described it as the result of teamwork and said it reflects the hopes of the nation.

He added that the country’s journey toward progress and prosperity was continuing. According to him, political unrest could slow that journey down.

For now, the situation remains tense. The government has offered a path to dialogue, but it has tied that offer to the end of the protest. PTI has not stepped back from its plan, and its convoy is still on the road.

Many people will be watching the next few days closely. If the march keeps moving, the standoff over entry into Islamabad could become the main issue. If the two sides agree to talk, it could ease the pressure.