Supporters of Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan pushed ahead Wednesday with a multi-day protest march through the country's northwest, setting up a possible standoff with a federal government that has walled off the capital. The march, organized by Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), entered its fourth day as the convoy moved from Mattani, on the outskirts of Peshawar, toward Khyber, according to The Express Tribune.
A march born of failed talks
The convoy set out Sunday from Lakki Marwat, picking up caravans from districts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as it passed through Karak and Kohat. It is led by the province's chief minister, Sohail Afridi, a PTI member. The march began after weekend negotiations between the government and an opposition delegation ended in deadlock, Pakistan Today reported. The main sticking points were the government's counterterrorism policy and PTI's demand for access to Khan, who has been in prison since 2023 on charges his party calls politically motivated.
Afridi has said the protest will remain peaceful and that he would call it off if any of his demands were shown to be unconstitutional or illegal. He also warned that once the party decided to head for Islamabad, nobody would be able to stop it, and told supporters to pace themselves for a long struggle. The convoy is expected to reach Khairabad, on the border between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, around Oct. 8, when Afridi is due to announce the next step.
Containers, roadblocks and arrests
The federal government says marchers will not be allowed into Islamabad. Shipping containers have been stacked at entry points and along major highways into the capital, including at D-Chowk and the Faizabad junction linking Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Dawn reported that workers in Attock were filling containers with sand to block the route near the Indus.
Provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said the march would not be permitted past Attock and raised concerns that militants could slip into the crowd. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged PTI to end the march and settle disputes through dialogue. In Karachi, PTI said more than 75 of its workers and leaders were detained as police blocked planned protests.
What could come next
Two senior figures in Islamabad told Dawn that a decision in principle has been made to declare a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, though whether it happens depends on whether the marchers try to force their way into the capital. PTI figures told the paper they have no plans to use force against the barricades. The route beyond Khairabad has not been announced.