Imran Khan supporters begin long march towards Islamabad
More than 5,000 supporters of imprisoned former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan have begun a long march from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa towards Islamabad after talks with the federal government failed. The march comes amid renewed controversy over Khan’s prison conditions, medical treatment and access to his family.
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In a Nutshell
- More than 5,000 PTI supporters left Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday in a convoy of trucks, buses and cars.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is leading the march, which plans overnight stops before reaching Islamabad.
- PTI and the federal government held two rounds of talks over postponing the march but failed to reach an agreement.
- The government has placed shipping containers at routes into Islamabad and inside the capital to prevent the protesters from entering.
- PTI is demanding Khan’s release, his transfer to a hospital and greater access for his family.
- Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned that Afridi would be responsible for any loss of life during the march, while the government cited rising militant attacks in the northwest as a reason to postpone it.
Context
Khan has been in prison since 2023 after being convicted in corruption and other cases that he and PTI say are politically motivated. He was removed as prime minister through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022, while Shehbaz Sharif returned as prime minister after the February 2024 election, which Khan’s party says was rigged.
Despite securing relief in several cases, Khan has remained in prison on charges of other convictions. His imprisonment has also remained controversial over his alleged mistreatment in jail. His lawyer said in February that Khan had lost most of the vision in his right eye because of delayed medical treatment, a claim the government disputed.
In August, the Supreme Court ordered that Khan receive specialist medical care at the privately run Shifa International Hospital and be allowed family visits. He was instead taken to a government hospital for a medical examination and returned to Adiala Jail after doctors declared him medically fit. His family and PTI challenged the decision, saying authorities had not followed the court’s order.
Why It Matters
This march brings together issues that have separately fuelled opposition to Khan’s imprisonment for years. His supporters have consistently demanded his release, but access to him has now become a major part of the dispute, with his family saying they were kept away from him for months and raising concerns about his health.
There is also a significant difference in how this protest is being organised. The march is being led by the chief minister of a province controlled by Khan’s party and is moving directly towards the federal capital after negotiations with the government failed. Islamabad is already blocking routes to keep the protesters out.
What We Think
What has changed now is that the fight over his imprisonment has moved into a direct political confrontation between a PTI-led provincial government and Islamabad.
Given the history of violence surrounding PTI protests, the government’s decision to block the march leaves little room for compromise between the two sides. Whether the march reaches Islamabad peacefully will now depend largely on how the authorities handle the protesters as they approach the capital.