Shehbaz Sharif Renews Dialogue Offer to PTI as Long March Reaches Kohat But Demands Protesters Stand Down First
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again extended an offer of dialogue to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on 6 October 2026, conditioning talks on the party ending its long march. “End your long march,” the PM said. “If you end it, then we will certainly sit with you and talk.” The Express Tribune
PTI’s convoy, led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, departed Sunday and reached Kohat, travelling through Lakki Marwat and Karak en route to Islamabad. The march’s central demands remain the release of incarcerated party founder Imran Khan and resolution of broader political and constitutional grievances.
Shehbaz framed the protests as an economic liability, warning: “If your worker or engineer does not reach the factory, whose loss is it? It is the loss of the nation.” He cited the protection of livelihoods and public safety as state responsibilities that sit-ins jeopardise.
The renewed overture follows the collapse of earlier talks between government and opposition representatives in the National Assembly; talks the PM alleged PTI undermined at the final stage. PTI had not publicly responded to the latest offer at the time of publication.
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