Pakistani authorities block roads in capital ahead of major protest march

On September 24, Pakistani authorities blocked the main access roads to Islamabad and blocked key highways, entrances and major intersections with cargo containers with sand. Police sent 22,000 security personnel to block Islamabad ahead of a large-scale protest scheduled for September 27 demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from prison.

Authorities also detained three of Imran Khan's sisters, as well as six members of his Pakistani Movement for Justice (PTI) party, which organizes the protest. The detainees are accused of "mobilizing supporters through social media and inciting against state institutions." PTI officials said the real number of those arrested was higher.

According to al-Jazeera, the Pakistani government sees the protest march as a far more serious threat than a conventional political event. At the same time, the authorities assure that the precautions taken will not greatly affect the capital. “In Islamabad, normal life continues. Hospitals, offices and life support services are functioning. Containers and security measures are precautionary measures, Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry said in an interview.

Imran Khan served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022. Since 2023, the former prime minister has been serving a 14-year prison sentence on charges of selling valuables stored in Toshahan's state treasury. In December 2025, a court sentenced Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years in prison on corruption charges. Khan himself calls the accusations political.

Vlad Nikiforov