Irshad Bhatti Criticises Atta Tarar Over PTI Long March Delay

ISLAMABAD:Political analyst Irshad Bhatti has criticised Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar over his remarks about the postponement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) planned long march, saying the protest had not been cancelled but merely delayed until October 4.

In a post on X, Bhatti responded to Tarar’s criticism of PTI and challenged the government to allow the party to proceed with its long march.

“Atta Tarar sahib, they were absolutely unprepared; that is why your preparations broke all records,” Bhatti said in his post. He also criticised the government’s security arrangements and argued that the postponement should not be interpreted as the end of the PTI’s protest movement.

Bhatti said the PTI’s long march had been postponed rather than cancelled and would now take place on October 4. He also made further political remarks about PTI supporters and government figures, including references to imprisonment and alleged political deals.

The PTI had originally announced September 27 as the date for its march towards Islamabad but later decided to postpone it to October 4. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said the decision was taken unanimously by the party’s political committee and that the march would depart from Peshawar on the new date.

Meanwhile, Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar said the postponement of the September 27 march showed that the PTI had not made adequate preparations for the protest.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Prime Minister’s Coordinator Ikhtiar Wali, Tarar described the PTI’s original march announcement as “a mountain being dug up only to find a mouse.” He said the party had announced the September 27 date itself but subsequently postponed the march.

Tarar also criticised Sohail Afridi’s political and administrative performance, claiming that the chief minister had lost influence within his own party. He further alleged that the PTI had links with militant groups and accused the party of avoiding condemnation of terrorism.

The minister said police and security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were making sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and called for support for the security personnel operating on the frontline.

Tarar also questioned the expenditure of funds allocated over the years for counterterrorism efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, asking where the money had been spent if terrorism had not been eliminated over the past 13 years.

His allegations regarding PTI’s alleged links with militants were presented as claims by the federal minister and were not independently established in the reports reviewed.

At the same time, Tarar said that the government remained in contact with PTI and that there was still room for political improvement. On the possibility of imposing governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said it would be premature to make any definitive statement on the matter.

The exchange between Bhatti and Tarar comes as political tensions remain elevated following the PTI’s decision to move its Islamabad march to October 4. The revised schedule has kept the planned protest on the political agenda while leaving open the possibility of further talks between the government and the opposition party.