Pakistan’s capital Islamabad has been placed under a sweeping security lockdown as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prepares for a nationwide protest demanding the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Authorities have deployed tens of thousands of security personnel, blocked major roads with shipping containers and issued arrest warrants for several PTI leaders in an effort to prevent the planned march from reaching the capital.
The PTI has maintained that it will proceed with the demonstration despite the government’s measures, although senior party leaders were still discussing on Friday whether to begin the march on Sunday or postpone it until the following week. One proposal under consideration was to start the movement on Sunday and advance towards Islamabad gradually, putting sustained pressure on the government.
The protest has been organised around demands for Khan’s release and concerns over his treatment in prison. Khan, who has remained behind bars since 2023 on corruption-related charges, has denied the allegations. His party and family have also alleged that he is being held in harsh conditions, including prolonged isolation, and has been denied adequate access to family members, lawyers and medical care.
The government has responded with an extensive security operation. More than 1,000 shipping containers have reportedly been placed at strategic points around Islamabad, with some reinforced with spikes. Sandbags have been positioned on bridges and a major highway leading into the capital has been closed. Authorities have also banned public gatherings in Islamabad and deployed about 22,000 police and other security personnel across the city.
The security restrictions have affected ordinary residents and businesses, with supplies disrupted in several parts of the capital. Residents have expressed frustration over the shutdown, saying that the political confrontation between the government and PTI has effectively brought normal life in parts of the city to a standstill.
The government has also intensified measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a stronghold of Khan’s party from where large numbers of PTI supporters are expected to join the march. The main highway connecting Peshawar with Islamabad has been closed, while security personnel have been deployed across the province.
Sohail Afridi, the PTI chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has said the party would continue with its plans unless the government made significant concessions concerning Khan’s imprisonment and the proceedings against him. He acknowledged concerns that the scale of the security operation could result in clashes but maintained that the party intended to mobilise a large number of supporters.
Faisal Karim Kundi, the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, defended the government’s measures as precautionary. He accused the PTI of attempting to create instability and violence and said the state could not permit what he described as a violent group to march on Islamabad.
The latest confrontation comes after a broader crackdown on PTI leaders and supporters. Several party figures have been detained or issued arrest warrants in the days leading up to the planned demonstration. Khan’s three sisters were also arrested earlier in the week and detained under public-order provisions. They had been campaigning for access to their brother and his release, although none of them holds a formal political position in the PTI.
Khan’s imprisonment and treatment have remained a major source of political tension in Pakistan. His family and party have repeatedly raised concerns about his health and access to medical treatment. In August, Khan was briefly transferred to a hospital in Islamabad following a Supreme Court order concerning his medical care before being returned to Adiala prison. The government said doctors had found him medically fit for the return.
The PTI has continued to portray Khan as the victim of politically motivated proceedings, while the authorities maintain that the legal cases against him are legitimate. The former prime minister has denied the charges against him.
The government’s decision to impose such extensive restrictions reflects concerns over the possibility of a large mobilisation in the capital. PTI leaders have argued that a substantial turnout could put significant pressure on the ruling coalition. Political analysts cited by The Guardian have also pointed to wider economic and security grievances in Pakistan as factors that could influence public participation.
For now, Islamabad remains heavily barricaded as both sides prepare for a potentially tense confrontation. The PTI is seeking to turn its demand for Khan’s release into a nationwide mobilisation, while the government is using extensive security measures and arrests to prevent the march from reaching the capital. The final decision on the timing and scale of the PTI demonstration was still being discussed by party leaders on Friday.
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