Pakistan lawyers back PTI march, demand Imran Khan's release
Synopsis
Pakistan's top lawyers' body has formally backed PTI's ongoing long march, demanding Imran Khan's release and warning against governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. With the convoy reaching Peshawar on day five and CM Sohail Afridi vowing 'no way back,' the march is gaining institutional momentum that could test the federal government's response.
Key Takeaways
The All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee formally backed the PTI long march on 9 October 2026 .
Chairman Ali Ahmed Kurd called the march 'a historic struggle for democracy and the rule of law.' Lawyers demanded the release of Imran Khan and other detained PTI leaders.
The committee warned of protests if governor's rule is imposed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa .
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi declared 'no way back' as the convoy reached Peshawar on day five of the march.
The All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee on Friday, 9 October 2026, voiced formal support for the ongoing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march, backing the party's core demands including the release of jailed founder Imran Khan and other detained party leaders, according to local Pakistani media reports.
What the Lawyers' Body Said
Ali Ahmed Kurd, chairman of the All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee, issued a statement alongside representatives of multiple bar associations and bar councils, describing the PTI march as 'a historic struggle for strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Pakistan,' according to Dawn.
The committee said PTI was marching for the supremacy of the constitution, an independent judiciary, a functional parliament, and against what it characterised as illegal arrests of political and human rights activists, rising inflation, and deteriorating law and order conditions across Pakistan.
Notably, the lawyers warned that they would stage a protest if Pakistani authorities impose governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or take what they described as any 'democratic action' — underscoring the sensitivity around the province, which PTI governs.
March Enters Fifth Day, KP CM Vows No Retreat
The PTI convoy arrived in Peshawar on Thursday — the fifth consecutive day of the march — with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi addressing participants and declaring there was 'no way back.'
'There is no way back. The dream of true freedom will certainly be fulfilled. They will fire bullets, and we will offer our chests,' Afridi said, according to The Express Tribune.
Afridi framed the march as a struggle for 'true freedom,' stating that Imran Khan had 'stood by the country despite facing difficulties and did not bow to pressure.'
Cricket Metaphor and Political Messaging
Deploying cricket terminology to rally supporters, Afridi said, 'This is the youth's long march. This is not a fixed match; it will be a decisive march.' He added: 'First we will play a Test match, then a T20 and finally a T10' — language likely designed to project a phased, determined political strategy to the party's largely young base.
The PTI march comes amid a broader political and economic crisis in Pakistan, with critics arguing that the civilian-military establishment has used sedition and anti-terror laws to neutralise opposition. The government has not publicly responded to the lawyers' statement.
What Happens Next
With the lawyers' bloc now formally aligned with the march, PTI gains institutional credibility beyond its core voter base — a development that could complicate any government effort to delegitimise the protest. All eyes are on whether the convoy proceeds towards Islamabad and how the federal government responds, particularly given the lawyers' warning against governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Point of View
Most notably the 2007-08 lawyers' movement that helped restore the judiciary. Their involvement gives PTI a layer of institutional legitimacy that is harder for the state to dismiss as partisan agitation. The warning against governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa signals that any federal overreach in the province could escalate the standoff sharply. What mainstream coverage underplays is the compounding pressure: a weakened economy, a restive legal fraternity, and a provincial government in open defiance together narrow Islamabad's options considerably.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee supporting the PTI march?
The committee says the PTI march represents a struggle for constitutional supremacy, an independent judiciary, and against what it calls illegal arrests of political and human rights activists in Pakistan. Chairman Ali Ahmed Kurd described it as a 'historic struggle for democracy and the rule of law.'
What are PTI's main demands in the long march?
PTI is demanding the release of founder Imran Khan and other detained party leaders, an independent judiciary, a functional parliament, and relief from the ongoing economic and political crisis, according to the lawyers' statement reported by Dawn.
What did Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Sohail Afridi say about the march?
Afridi declared 'there is no way back' as the PTI convoy reached Peshawar on the fifth day of the march. He framed it as a struggle for 'true freedom' and used cricket metaphors to signal a phased, determined campaign, according to The Express Tribune.
What did the lawyers warn about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
The All Pakistan Lawyers Action Committee warned it would hold protests if the Pakistani authorities impose governor's rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or take any action it described as undemocratic.
Where is the PTI march headed and what is the significance?
The march is moving toward Islamabad, with the convoy having reached Peshawar on day five. Gaining the support of the lawyers' body gives PTI institutional credibility and increases pressure on the federal government to respond — or risk a broader coalition of opposition.
