PESHAWAR: Large parts of the provincial capital reportedly remained without mobile and cellular internet services on Thursday in an unannounced suspension that started last night, Dawn has learnt.
The move comes as PTI’s long march, launched on Oct 4 from Lakki Marwat, is set to reach Peshawar today according to PTI’s schedule. The protest march to demand the release of party founder and ex-premier Imran Khan had reached the Khyber district by Wednesday evening.
Though there was no word from the provincial government on the unannounced cellular disruption, a Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) official, however, confirmed to Dawn that the authority had ordered the suspension at the directives of higher authorities.
The official told Dawn the suspension was temporary and taken as a security precaution during the long march. The official said the ministry orders were conveyed on Wednesday night.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Home and Tribal Affairs Tariq Saeed Marwat did not respond to whether his department requested the interior ministry cell phone service suspension. KP Information Minister Shafi Jan was also not available for comment.
Meanwhile, some major private schools across Peshawar also remained closed on Thursday. However, government schools, colleges and universities remained open.
Many parents found out about the school closure on Thursday morning when their children returned home after finding the school gates locked.
Yousaf Khan, a resident of Ring Road, told Dawn that he found out on Thursday morning. “My children were told at the school gate to go back,” he said, adding that he did not hear about the closure due to the suspension of cellular service.
“Due to the prevailing political situation in the city, the school will remain closed tomorrow, i.e, on Oct 8”, a notice from one of the private schools read, adding that classes will resume from Friday.
However, Private Schools Regulatory Authority (PSRA) officials said no order for school closure was issued, and action will be taken against schools that remained closed without government directions.
The authority has also written to the principals of all private schools, stating that certain private educational institutions had been closed by their respective administrations in connection with the ongoing long march, without any notification from the PSRA.
“In view of the above, all heads/principals/administrators of private educational institutions are hereby directed to keep their respective institutions open and ensure regular academic activities until clear directions/notification are issued by this authority,” the letter, seen by Dawn, read.
It said that failure to comply with the directions would be viewed seriously, and strict disciplinary action would be initiated against the concerned institution/management under the relevant rules and regulations.
PTI’s march began from Lakki Marwat on Oct 4, from where the protesters trekked to Kohat on the second day and arrived in Mattani, located on the outskirts of Peshawar, that night.
While the plan for the trek after Oct 8 is yet to be announced, the PTI previously announced Islamabad as its final destination.
The Centre has warned the party against any protests or gatherings in Islamabad. However, the PTI decided to embark on the march after weekend talks with the federal government failed to bridge their differences for multiple reasons, particularly over the counterterrorism policy.
Gohar calls for reviewing counterterrorism policy
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan said on Thursday that his party had never supported terrorism, adding that, however, the country’s counterterrorism policy needed to be reviewed in the light of changing circumstances.
Gohar was speaking to the media in Charsadda, which is expected to be the next stop of the PTI’s march after Peshawar.
The PTI chairperson visited the residences of KP Public Health Engineering Minister Fazal Shakoor and MNA Fazal Mohammad Khan, whom the PTI alleges were abducted by unidentified men amid reports of detentions of its workers and members ahead of the march.
Gohar expressed concern over their disappearance and demanded their immediate and safe recovery.
Speaking to the media at their residences, he noted that 18 days had passed since Shakoor’s alleged abduction and his family had no information about his whereabouts.
He urged the relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the matter and ensure that Shakoor and Khan were recovered and reunited with their families.
Gohar said the “enforced disappearances” were a matter of serious concern and stressed the need for rule of law and protection of citizens’ constitutional rights. If such incidents were taking place in KP, they could also occur in other provinces, he further warned.
He also rejected the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency as a solution to the prevailing situation in KP, as federal ministers continue to indicate the possible enforcement of either of the two, citing terrorism. The warning of a possible emergency or governor’s rule had come ahead of the PTI’s long and as talks between the opposition party in the Centre and the federal government failed earlier this month.
For his part, Gohar said political issues should be resolved through constitutional and democratic means. He called upon the decision-makers to respect the public mandate and elected governments.
On the security situation, he asserted that the PTI, its workers and supporters had never supported terrorism. He said the party stood with the state in the fight against terrorism, but the country’s policy on the issue needed to be reviewed in light of changing circumstances.
“Terrorism, whether in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan or Sindh, is against Pakistan,” he said, adding that the loss of any Pakistani’s life in the fight against terrorism was a national loss. He called for the implementation of the National Action Plan through a unified national policy rather than politicising the issue.
Gohar also defended CM Afridi, saying he had never issued a statement in support of terrorists. He criticised what he described as attempts by some federal ministers to portray PTI as a supporter of terrorism.
The PTI chairperson said his party was still ready for meaningful and positive dialogue with its political opponents and expressed hope that Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman would play a constructive role in the prevailing situation. He thanked the JUI-F, Awami National Party and Jamaat-i-Islami for opposing the imposition of governor’s rule.
On the PTI’s long march, he said it would continue as per the decided schedule, with gatherings planned in Mardan on Oct 10 and Swabi on Oct 11, after which the future course of action would be decided by the party leadership.
He also criticised the imposition of Section 144 in parts of KP, saying elected representatives should be taken into confidence in matters concerning law and order.
He urged all political parties, whether in government or opposition, to play their role in strengthening democracy, an independent judiciary, free elections and the rule of law.
Gohar said the federal government and the opposition needed to set aside their differences and engage in sincere, unconditional dialogue to help the country overcome its political crisis.
PHC seeks CM Afridi’s reply to contempt plea
Separately, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday sought a reply from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to a contempt petition alleging that he violated a court order by using an official helicopter to participate in the PTI long march.
A bench comprising Chief Justice SM Attique Shah and Justice Ijaz Khan issued notice to the chief minister on a petition filed by PML-N MPA Zahir Khan.
The petitioner alleged that the chief minister violated the court’s Oct 23, 2025 judgment, which barred the use of government vehicles, machinery and manpower for protests, rallies, long marches or political activities.
According to the petition, Afridi used a KP government helicopter on Oct 4 to travel from Peshawar to Lakki Marwat to participate in, launch and lead the PTI’s long march.
He contended that the violation was not confined merely to the CM’s journey, but the official helicopter’s use necessarily involved deployment of its pilots, crew, fuel, technical staff, ground arrangements, security personnel, protocol officials and other public resources.
He added that the entire official machinery accompanying and facilitating the said flight was employed to enable the chief minister to reach and lead the political long march, in direct violation of the 2025 ruling.
The petitioner sought contempt proceedings against CM Afridi and asked the court to summon him and seek details of the helicopter’s authorisation, flight log and expenditure. The hearing was then adjourned.
The post Mobile services reportedly non-functional in parts of Peshawar ahead of PTI march’s expected arrival appeared first on Dawn – Home.
