In a statement posted on social media platform X, Khawaja Asif claimed that plans had been made to create chaos near military and police installations or security checkpoints under the cover of protests and public gatherings during the long march. He said state institutions had already received information about the alleged plan.
The defence minister warned the PTI provincial government and organisers of the long march that if there was an attempt to repeat violent incidents similar to May 9, 2023, the state would take strict and decisive action.
He said there was a clear difference between political protest and armed activity, adding that any violent activity could not be considered part of a political struggle.
Khawaja Asif also referred to the July 2024 incidents in Bannu and claimed that similar circumstances could be created during the upcoming long march.
He said eight security personnel were killed in an attack on Bannu Cantonment by the Gul Bahadur group of the TTP on July 15, 2024, while incidents of tension and unrest also occurred during protests in Bannu a few days later.
According to the defence minister, political and nationalist elements also participated in the July 19, 2024 protest in Bannu. He alleged that protesters entered through a broken wall of the cantonment’s supply depot, after which an exchange of fire took place with security forces.
Khawaja Asif said political struggle could be carried out through constitutional and democratic means and that protests and public gatherings were established ways of expressing political differences around the world.
However, he said armed rebellion or attacks on state installations under the cover of political activity would not be considered political protest.
The defence minister further claimed that the long march starting on October 4 would allegedly remain confined to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that the provincial government had prepared certain groups for Bannu-style actions with the alleged assistance of TTP-linked elements. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Khawaja Asif’s statement comes as PTI has set October 4 as the date for its long march towards Islamabad. The party has announced that the march will begin from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while a schedule regarding its route and the participation of caravans from different areas has also been issued.
Meanwhile, talks between the government and PTI on political matters, including the October 4 march, are also continuing. Prime Minister’s Adviser Rana Sanaullah said on October 1 that off-the-record talks were taking place between senior government and PTI leaders. He also mentioned arrangements by the government to prevent the march from entering Islamabad.
Khawaja Asif stressed the distinction between political activity and matters of state security, saying that if armed action was carried out in coordination with the TTP under the cover of political struggle, it would be considered an attack on the country’s integrity.
The defence minister said the state would use all available resources to defend itself in such a situation. He specifically warned the PTI provincial government and long march organisers that any violent activity or attempt to target state installations would be dealt with according to law.
The military had also said in a statement following the recent Corps Commanders Conference that violent unrest, attacks on state institutions or attempts to create conditions similar to May 9 would be dealt with decisively and without discrimination under the law.
The proposed October 4 long march has therefore brought security concerns into focus alongside ongoing political talks between the government and PTI. The government has stressed maintaining law and order during the protest, while PTI has described the march as a political activity aimed at pursuing its demands.
