Protests Erupt in Support of Imran Khan
More than 5,000 supporters of Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan currently imprisoned on corruption charges, commenced a march toward Islamabad on Sunday. The government requested that the demonstrators cancel their plans due to terrorism threats. When that plea was ignored, officials took measures to contain the protesters by barricading the city with shipping containers.
Khan, once a cricket star, was ousted from his role as Prime Minister in April 2022 following a no-confidence vote. He attempted to make a political comeback, but faced serious obstacles, including corruption charges and an assassination attempt, which ultimately led to his imprisonment in 2023. As of now, his total prison sentence has accumulated to at least 17 years, with additional legal battles still ahead.
Supporters from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party argue that the allegations against him are politically motivated, crafted by the elite to prevent his return to power. They previously intervened during arrest attempts in 2023 and have organized numerous rallies calling for his release.
This recent march initiated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a significant stronghold for Khan’s party. PTI leaders like Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and local figure Junaid Akbar Khan led the procession.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is located over 170 miles from Islamabad, making it likely that the march won’t reach the capital’s outskirts until Thursday. Leaders of the event indicated they would strategize on their next steps once they are within 50 miles of the city.
Initially, the march was set to begin on September 27, but it was postponed after the government expressed willingness to negotiate with PTI over certain issues. However, those talks collapsed, particularly because PTI leaders claimed their requests to consult with Khan in jail were denied, along with a refusal for him to receive urgent medical care.
Khan, now 74, is reportedly not in good health, and his party alleges that authorities are disregarding court orders for a medical evaluation at a private hospital.
Over the weekend, two rounds of desperate negotiations between PTI and the government took place, but neither resulted in a resolution.
Amidst these developments, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the protesters to delay their plans, citing potential threats from ongoing attacks by the militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates. Nonetheless, the organizers were determined to start from Gandhi Chowk as scheduled. With Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan, tensions have risen as Pakistan contends with skirmishes with the Afghan Taliban, whom they accuse of supporting TTP violence.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused PTI’s leaders of deliberately sabotaging the negotiations, warning that they would be held accountable for any harm stemming from the march.
A vast deployment of police forces from Islamabad to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa raised concerns among PTI supporters, who alleged that the government aimed to intimidate or use force against demonstrators.
Opposition figures have suggested that Sharif might consider imposing “emergency rule” or martial law to prevent the marchers from reaching Islamabad, with some officials openly hinting at taking such measures.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Governor, Karim Kundi, remarked that if it became necessary to impose emergency measures to protect the province, they would do so. Meanwhile, some federal authorities have accused PTI of allowing TTP militants to join the march and potentially infiltrate Islamabad.
Interior Minister Naqvi insisted that PTI would not be permitted to disrupt the capital or interfere with local businesses. He hinted that if PTI persistently held disruptive rallies and did not align with national counter-terrorism strategies, they might be stripped of governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“We will finish it once for all,” he ominously stated on Sunday.
