More than 5,000 demonstrators affiliated with imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan began a multi-day procession toward Islamabad on Sunday, pressing for the leader’s freedom following the breakdown of negotiations between his party and federal authorities. The march, which threatens to exacerbate political instability amid rising militant activity, departed from Lakki Marwat district in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Sohail Afridi, the provincial chief minister and a loyal ally of Khan, led the caravan of trucks, buses, and cars. Speaking from a specially modified container truck bearing Khan’s portrait, Afridi expressed confidence that the movement would successfully deliver its demands to the capital. In response, authorities have established roadblocks using containers at Islamabad’s entry points and within the city.
Talks aimed at postponing the demonstration collapsed two days ago despite two rounds of negotiation. Gohar Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stated that discussions remained deadlocked. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi placed blame on Afridi for the talks’ failure and warned that the provincial leader would be held accountable for any casualties during the procession.
The Sharif government had urged the opposition to delay the march, citing a spike in attacks by the Pakistani Taliban in the northwest. Authorities have also accused PTI of harboring sympathies for the militant group, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. Despite these warnings, organizers vowed to proceed after mobilizing hundreds of thousands of supporters.
Beyond Khan’s release, protesters are calling for his transfer to a hospital and increased access for family visits. Officials maintain that the former prime minister is in good health and already receives regular visits, asserting that meetings with him should not be leveraged for political gain.
Khan, a former international cricket star, has been detained since 2023 on corruption and other charges that he and his party describe as politically motivated. He remains the primary rival to current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and continues to command a significant base of support in Pakistan’s volatile political landscape. The march was initially scheduled for September 27 but was delayed after party leaders reported that security forces had blocked key routes to the capital, including the Attock Bridge.
Previous demonstrations by Khan’s followers have resulted in violence, including incidents in 2024 that claimed the lives of both security personnel and civilians. Khan was removed from office via a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, and Sharif returned to power following the February 2024 election, a result PTI alleges was rigged.
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