Pakistan Barricades Islamabad as PTI Postpones Imran Khan Protest

The Government of Pakistan has placed Islamabad under lockdown to block a planned long march by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Authorities deployed 22,000 security personnel and barricaded major highways, bridges, and access points to Parliament and the prime minister's house using over 1,500 shipping containers and sandbags. The blockade has disrupted the national freight industry, as police seized containers from private drivers, causing transporters to avoid entering Islamabad and Punjab.

In response to the lockdown and a crackdown that included the arrest of hundreds of activists and three of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's sisters, PTI officials postponed the march from September 27 to October 4. The demonstrations, intended to travel from Peshawar to Islamabad, demand the release of Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on corruption charges. Security forces also deployed net launchers and closed the main highway linking Peshawar to the capital.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi defended the measures as necessary to prevent violent protests, warning that opposition organizers would hurt themselves and the public. PTI spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari stated the delay is intended to increase pressure on the government, though he noted the party could still launch the march earlier if they deem it fit.