Khawaja Asif alleges PTI delayed long march to ‘steal’ donations

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has alleged that PTI postponed its planned long march because it wanted more time to collect donations, and suggested the party could ultimately cancel the protest after raising funds.

PTI had launched a nationwide fundraising campaign for its September 27 long march, asking supporters and the public to contribute Rs100 each. The party said millions of rupees had been collected.

However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced on Friday that the march, initially planned for September 27, had been postponed and would now begin from Peshawar on October 4.

Speaking to reporters in New York, Asif alleged that PTI may have delayed the march because it had not raised enough funds. He further claimed that the party could collect more money before potentially calling off the protest and keeping the funds.

Asif said he was unaware of any contact between the government and PTI, ruling out the possibility of talks, an agreement or reconciliation with the party. He also alleged that PTI could not be trusted and claimed that some party members were themselves speaking against the leadership.

The defence minister also addressed Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia, saying Islamabad would support the Kingdom in case of aggression under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

Responding to questions about Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, Asif said Pakistan would be bound by the agreement if it were activated, describing the commitment as a pledge that Pakistan would honour.

He added that Pakistan was continuing diplomatic efforts to promote peace in the Middle East, while Qatar was also contributing to de-escalation efforts.