Pakistan to seal Islamabad roads ahead of September 27 Imran Khan protests

September 23, 2026 at 11:59 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Pakistani authorities will close major highways into Islamabad starting Wednesday evening to block a planned march by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Police named the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, and Grand Trunk Road as closure points. The closures precede a September 27 protest demanding Khan's release.

Key Facts

Police in Islamabad said the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, and Grand Trunk Road would be closed at several points starting Wednesday evening.
Dawn reported that about 2,000 shipping containers have been placed around the capital and at Attock Bridge.
Nearly 30,000 security personnel have been deployed in Attock district, according to Dawn.
The PTI plans to march from Karachi, about 1,150 km southwest of Islamabad, and from Lahore, about 270 km southeast.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned the PTI on Monday that 'they can never achieve anything through such drama.'

Road Closures

Police in Islamabad said on Wednesday that the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway, the Islamabad-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway and the Grand Trunk Road would be closed at several points starting in the evening. Dawn reported that the closures were indefinite and aimed at preventing PTI supporters from marching to the capital on September 27. Authorities have placed about 2,000 shipping containers around the capital and at Attock Bridge, a crossing from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Containers and sandbags have also been placed at Haroon Bridge, the other key crossing between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

Protest Plans

The marches were expected to set out for Islamabad from Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, about 1,150 km to the southwest, and from Lahore, about 270 km to the southeast. The protesters are demanding the release of Khan, who has been jailed since August 2023 following a series of convictions that his party calls politically motivated. Concerns about his health, in particular the condition of his right eye, which has required months of specialist treatment, have prompted the party's campaign for his release. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder reported from Islamabad that the government had told the PTI to reconsider its plans, while the party says peaceful protest is their constitutional right.

Government Response

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had warned the PTI against the protest on Monday, saying 'we have clearly told them that they can never achieve anything through such drama.' He added, 'I will say again that there is still time; they should not go into this situation.' On Sunday, the police arrested Khan's sister Aleema Khan at her home in Lahore under a public order law. Two other sisters, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, were also arrested, along with several other relatives.