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2w ago

PTI Begins Long March After Talks Collapse Over Access to Imran Khan

Failure to secure a meeting with the jailed leader has produced a tense security standoff that will test federal forces' response to mass protest.

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Trailers loaded with shipping containers are parked near the port area in Karachi, Pakistan, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer
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Vehicles drive past shipping containers placed by authorities along side on a highway for seal off an area ahead of a plan protest march by the supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan demanding his release, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Overview

  • PTI set off from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat on Sunday under KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi after overnight negotiations with the federal government broke down.
  • The talks collapsed primarily over PTI's demand for immediate access to Imran Khan and disagreements about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's role in counterterrorism policy.
  • The federal government said protesters would not be allowed into Islamabad and has deployed barriers and extra security to block routes to the capital.
  • Military leadership publicly warned it would use decisive force to prevent large-scale unrest, raising the stakes of the standoff and the risk of clashes.
  • PTI has mobilized funds and set a multi-day route through Karak, Kohat and Peshawar while authorities cite the May 9, 2023 upheaval as the reason for heightened restrictions and legal limits on access and releases.