Islamabad has been placed under heavy security as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prepares for a nationwide protest demanding the release of its jailed founder and former prime minister Imran Khan. Authorities have blocked major roads, deployed thousands of security personnel and restricted public gatherings in an attempt to prevent supporters from entering the capital.
More than 1,000 shipping containers, many reinforced with spikes, have been placed on roads leading into Islamabad. Sandbags have also been put on bridges, while a major highway into the capital has been closed. Around 22,000 police and other security personnel have been deployed across the city.
🇵🇰 Pakistan is lining Attock Bridge with metal spikes to stop Imran Khan's supporters from marching on Islamabad this Sunday.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 25, 2026
The bridge is the main crossing between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, where PTI's caravan is set to start its march demanding Khan's release from jail.…
PTI postpones March to October 4
PTI leaders had originally announced a march to Islamabad for 27th September. However, on 26th September (Friday), the party said it would postpone the start of the march to 4th October, saying the delay could put additional pressure on the government.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, a PTI leader, said the party would continue with the march unless the government made significant concessions regarding Khan’s treatment and jail conditions.
“The government is panicking – that’s why they have put Islamabad under siege, that’s why they are abducting our ministers,” Afridi said. “But Imran Khan is the most popular leader of the country, and people will come out for him.”
He also said PTI supporters planned to gather in large numbers. “I know they can go to any extent to stop us by brute force; we have no doubt about it,” Afridi said. “But if we have a large number of people, they can’t open fire at us. Our plan is to bring so many people that they surrender.”
Security tightened across Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The government has also increased security measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a stronghold of PTI. The main highway connecting Peshawar with Islamabad has been closed, while thousands of security personnel have been deployed in the province.
Faisal Karim Kundi, the government-appointed governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, defended the measures as necessary precautions. He accused PTI of trying to create “instability and violence” and said, “The state can’t allow any violent group to march on Islamabad.”
The restrictions have also affected daily life in Islamabad. Businesses have reportedly faced problems getting supplies as access to several parts of the city has been restricted.
The security measures come amid a wider crackdown on PTI members and supporters. Several party leaders have been detained or face arrest warrants, while Imran Khan’s three sisters, Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi, were detained in Lahore and ordered to remain in custody for 30 days under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order law.
The detentions came shortly before the planned PTI protest. The government has cited public-order and security concerns, while PTI has criticised the action and challenged the detention orders in the Lahore High Court.
Khan has remained in jail since 2023 and denies the charges against him. PTI has continued to demand his release, while the government says its security measures are aimed at preventing unrest and maintaining public order.
