Supporters of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, began a march toward the capital, Islamabad, on Sunday. Roughly five thousand demonstrators, many wearing the red‑and‑green colours of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) party, rallied in their hometowns and a long way from the capital.
Khan, a former cricket captain, is currently imprisoned on more than a hundred corruption‑related cases that he claims are politically motivated. His health has worsened in prison; family members say he has lost most of his vision in his right eye, and he was moved to a state‑run hospital in August for medical examination. Doctors found him medically fit, but the PTI maintains that his treatment has been insufficient.
The protest route started in Lakki Marwat, a city 275 kilometres from Islamabad, and will pause for the night before carrying on around midday Monday. The march is a continuation of earlier talks between the government and PTI that ended in a stalemate after the authorities rejected the party’s request to meet Khan and to allow his immediate medical assessment. PTI spokespersons say the talks collapsed because the government refused to give Khan access for consultations on national issues.
Islamabad authorities have placed shipping containers on key roads to hinder the march’s progress and to control access to the city. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has accused Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi of sabotaging negotiations, referencing a perceived breach on counter‑terrorism commitments.
The PTI alleges that the government’s refusal to permit medical examination at the private hospital ordered by a court has compounded Khan’s difficult situation. In turn, the government argues that the PTI’s interference in state affairs undermines public safety.
Khan’s family and supporters criticised the legal system for overlooking a court order that mandated a thorough medical review. The crackdown on protests that followed his arrest in 2023 sparked violence in several cities. In September, his sister Aleema Khanum was arrested in Lahore on accusations of stirring rebellion and chanting slogans against the government.
Despite being imprisoned, Khan remains an influential figure in Pakistani politics, and his supporters have repeatedly called for his release and proper medical care. Former members of the national cricket team and other public figures have urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure Khan receives adequate treatment and to consider his release.
