PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has turned to public fundraising to finance its October 4 long march to Islamabad, exposing growing financial and political strains inside the party ahead of the planned protest.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has personally taken charge of the donation campaign after, according to PTI sources, several senior leaders, lawmakers and Senate election candidates failed to provide the financial support expected for the march.
The move comes as a fresh challenge for Afridi, who has been facing reservations within the party over the decision to hold the march on October 4.
Several senior PTI leaders had earlier called for the march to be postponed, according to party sources. The disagreement over the protest schedule, followed by the reported reluctance of some leaders to fund it, points to differences over both the timing and the cost of the planned mobilisation.
Afridi has now appealed directly to party workers and overseas Pakistanis for donations. In a video message issued by the Chief Minister’s House, he said he would personally supervise the fundraising process.
The appeal marks a notable shift in the party’s approach to financing protests. PTI sources said earlier fundraising efforts failed to reach their targets because some important party figures did not show sufficient interest.
The funding issue has also created concerns among lawmakers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Several provincial assembly members told V News that they could consider contributing if the party guaranteed that it would cover the expenses of workers participating in the protest.
Without such a guarantee, lawmakers would have to arrange transport and food for workers travelling from their constituencies. They said this made it difficult for them to contribute further to the campaign.
The developments have placed Afridi in a difficult position. He is now not only overseeing preparations for the march but also leading the effort to raise money for it.
The party has also appealed to overseas Pakistanis, effectively widening the fundraising effort beyond its domestic support base.
The funding dispute comes against the backdrop of earlier disagreements over the timing of the march. Some PTI leaders had sought a postponement, according to party sources, while the leadership ultimately moved ahead with the October 4 plan.
That sequence has raised questions about the level of consensus within the party over the protest strategy.
Former KP chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, meanwhile, has sought to distance himself from concerns over the cost of mobilisation. He said he would personally bear the expenses of people travelling in his convoy.
Gandapur said vehicles were difficult to arrange and claimed he had deposited a security payment of Rs1.5 million per vehicle. He said he had already provided transport guarantees worth up to Rs30 million.
The contrasting positions highlight the financial pressure surrounding the planned mobilisation. While Afridi is appealing for donations, Gandapur says he is personally covering the expenses of his convoy.
For Afridi, the fundraising campaign comes at a politically sensitive moment. The reported reluctance of senior figures to finance the march follows earlier calls within the party to postpone it, adding another layer to the internal debate over PTI’s protest strategy.
Also Read: Joint Delegation of Government and PPP to Meet PTI Leadership Tomorrow
The October 4 march will therefore test not only PTI’s ability to mobilise supporters but also the party’s capacity to maintain unity and secure the resources needed to sustain a large-scale protest.
