Led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the protest began in Lakki Marwat on October 4 and is scheduled to reach Swabi on October 12, with the party demanding family and lawyer meetings, bail hearings and medical treatment for its imprisoned founder.

By Khushal Khan 

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -  Supporters of Pakistan's opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are advancing towards the capital, Islamabad, in a long march demanding improved access to imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan, including meetings with his family, lawyers and party leaders, as well as judicial hearings on his bail petitions and medical treatment.

The march began on October 4 in Lakki Marwat district in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is being led by provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, whose party governs the province.

The procession has passed through several districts and reached Peshawar on Thursday. The next phase is taking the convoy towards Charsadda and other areas of the province, with the party planning to reach Swabi on October 12, where Afridi is expected to announce the movement's next course of action.

The protest comes amid escalating political tensions between Khan's party and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's federal government over the former premier's imprisonment, restrictions on visits and concerns about his health.

The PTI says the march is intended to press authorities to address what it describes as the denial of Khan's legal and family access and the failure to provide timely hearings on his bail applications.

Four key demands

The PTI's protest centres on four principal demands concerning Khan's treatment in custody and his access to the judicial process.

First, the party wants prison authorities to allow Khan to meet his family members, lawyers and senior party leaders. It says restrictions on these meetings have prevented him from maintaining contact with his relatives and political colleagues.

Second, the party is demanding that courts hear Khan's pending bail petitions. PTI leaders argue that the cases should proceed through the judicial system rather than remain without hearings.

Third, the party is calling for Khan to be transferred to a hospital for medical examination and treatment, citing concerns about his deteriorating health while in prison.

Finally, the march seeks to maintain pressure on the federal government and judicial authorities to address these issues, which the PTI says are central to protecting Khan's legal rights.

The party has portrayed the march as a political campaign for justice and access to its imprisoned founder, rather than simply a demonstration demanding his release.

- Khan's imprisonment and health concerns

Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 and faces multiple legal cases stemming from his time in office and the political turmoil that followed his removal from power in April 2022.

The former prime minister and his party have repeatedly described the cases against him as politically motivated, an allegation rejected by the government.

Concerns about Khan's health have become a major issue in the confrontation between the PTI and the authorities. His family and party representatives have raised concerns about his medical condition, including problems affecting his eyesight, and have called for appropriate medical care.

In August 2026, Pakistan's Supreme Court ordered that Khan be transferred to Islamabad's Shifa International Hospital for a medical examination and permitted weekly family visits and telephone calls with his sons. However, PM Sharif's government didn't implement the top court orders and refused to move Khan to Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad.

However, the PTI continues to demand access for his family, lawyers and party leaders, saying restrictions on meetings remain a serious concern and illegal.

The party also argues that his pending bail applications should be heard without further delay and accused the courts to not hearing Khan’s cases due to government pressure.

The government has disputed claims that Khan is being denied necessary care, while the dispute over prison access has become a recurring source of political tension.

The PTI's long march is intended to increase pressure for action on these demands.

From Lakki Marwat to Charsadda and Swabi

The march began on October 4 at Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat, where Afridi joined party workers and supporters from southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The procession was initially announced as a march towards Islamabad, with participants expected to join from districts including Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Karak and other parts of the province.

The convoy subsequently moved through Karak and Kohat before advancing towards Peshawar.

On Thursday, October 8, Afridi led the march into Peshawar, where supporters gathered to welcome the chief minister and the accompanying convoy.

The party subsequently planned to take the procession towards Charsadda, followed by further gatherings in other districts before reaching Swabi.

The route and schedule have been revised several times since the march began, with party leaders indicating that the next phase would depend on consultations and announcements by the provincial chief minister.

According to the latest announced plan, the march is expected to reach Swabi on October 12. Afridi is expected to outline the next course of action there.

The party has urged supporters from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to join the movement as it proceeds through the province.

- Failed negotiations preceded the protest

The long march followed unsuccessful negotiations between the PTI and the federal government.

The two sides held discussions in an attempt to resolve their differences before the protest, but the talks ended without an agreement, prompting the party to proceed with its planned mobilisation.

The breakdown in negotiations reflected broader disagreements between the opposition and the government over political engagement, security policy and the conditions required for cooperation.

The federal government has warned that protesters will not be permitted to enter Islamabad in violation of applicable restrictions and has taken security measures in anticipation of the march.

Authorities have expressed concerns about maintaining public order, particularly given the history of confrontations during previous PTI demonstrations.

The party, however, has continued its mobilisation, with Afridi using public gatherings along the route to rally support for Khan and reiterate the movement's demands.

The federal government and PTI have also clashed over counterterrorism policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province that has experienced persistent militant violence.

- Political stakes extend beyond the march

The protest carries particular significance because the PTI controls the provincial government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, giving the movement a prominent political platform from which to challenge the federal authorities.

Afridi's participation as chief minister also places the provincial leadership at the centre of the confrontation.

The PTI has sought to use the march to demonstrate continued public support for Khan, who remains a central figure in Pakistan's opposition politics despite his imprisonment.

For the party, access to Khan and the progress of his legal cases are inseparable from its wider demand for political and judicial accountability.

The government, meanwhile, faces the challenge of managing a politically charged protest while preventing disruptions to public life and security in the capital.

Whether the march ultimately reaches Islamabad, and what strategy the PTI adopts after its planned gathering in Swabi, remain key questions.

For now, the party is focusing on its immediate demands: meetings with Khan's family, lawyers and political colleagues; hearings on his pending bail petitions; and access to hospital care.

The developments are likely to remain a major test of relations between Pakistan's federal government and the opposition as the country continues to grapple with political polarisation and disputes over the treatment of its imprisoned former prime minister.