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Islamabad barricaded ahead of Imran Khan supporters’ march

Published : Wednesday, 23 September, 2026 at 5:24 PM

Observer Online Report

Pakistan has tightened security in Islamabad ahead of a march planned by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, blocking major highways and deploying tens of thousands of security personnel.

Nearly 35,000 additional police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in and around the capital, according to an Interior Ministry official. Authorities have also closed two major highways connecting Islamabad with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is governed by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

Shipping containers have been placed to block access to Islamabad’s government district, which houses parliament, the prime minister’s residence and foreign embassies.

Authorities have detained hundreds of PTI activists in recent days, including three of Khan’s sisters, citing public-order concerns. The planned march is scheduled for Sunday.

PTI chairman Gohar Khan said the march would go ahead despite the restrictions.

The party’s last major protest, held two years ago, ended in deadly clashes with security forces. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned police to respond forcefully if the march turns violent.

Khan, 73, was ousted as prime minister in a 2022 no-confidence vote and has been jailed since 2023. He says he is a political prisoner, a claim rejected by the military.

The planned protest comes amid wider public discontent over inflation and rising fuel prices.

- MaT

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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

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