Thousands of supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have begun a march toward Islamabad, demanding his freedom.
Concerns about Khan’s health have intensified, with his family reporting that he has lost most of his vision in his right eye, alleging that prison authorities neglected the issue.
The former cricket star turned politician faces over 100 legal cases and was sentenced to 17 years in prison on corruption charges last year. Khan maintains that the proceedings are politically motivated.
Despite his incarceration, Khan continues to wield considerable influence in Pakistani politics. Past demonstrations in his favor have triggered deadly clashes and government crackdowns.
The march, which started on Sunday from Lakki Marwat—275 kilometres from Islamabad—was halted for the night and is slated to resume at midday on Monday local time.
Originally planned for last week, the event was postponed to facilitate talks between the government and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek‑e‑Insaf (PTI) party; however, negotiations reached an impasse.
Khan faces an array of charges, including leaking state secrets and misusing state gifts, and was first detained in August 2023. His wife, Bushra Bibi, has also been imprisoned alongside him.
Sohail Afridi, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—a province governed by PTI—anticipates that the march will reach a town roughly 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Islamabad by Thursday.
“By then this movement will have spread to every corner of the country, turning every square into a hub of activity,” Afridi said on Sunday, calling on citizens to “play an active role in the political process.”
In response, authorities in Islamabad have placed shipping containers to block key access routes leading to the capital.
The PTI indicated that negotiations collapsed after the government denied the party’s request to meet with Khan, preventing its leaders from consulting him on national and political matters.
The party also sought an immediate medical examination and treatment for Khan.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused Afridi of sabotaging the talks, alleging that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had reneged on prior counter‑terrorism commitments, according to local media reports.
In August, Khan was temporarily moved from prison to a state‑run hospital for a medical evaluation after concerns were raised about his deteriorating health. Physicians later declared him medically fit.
The court‑ordered transfer marked the most substantial reprieve Khan has obtained since his 2023 imprisonment on corruption charges, which he asserts are politically driven.
Khan’s family and the PTI, however, denounced the authorities for ignoring a court directive that mandated his examination by physicians at a designated private hospital.
On 20 September, Khan’s sister, Aleema Khanum, was apprehended in Lahore. The arrest warrant alleged that she had been mobilising individuals to “create law‑and‑order situations” and “raise and chant objectionable slogans against the government among the public.”
Khan, a former captain of the Pakistan national cricket team, served as the country’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
Khan’s arrest in May 2023 triggered large‑scale violent protests by his supporters, who stormed the corps commander’s residence in Lahore, damaging chandeliers and seizing furniture, paintings, peacocks, and other items.
The unrest resulted in at least eight fatalities, prompting the deployment of the army to restore order.
Former international cricket captains have repeatedly appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in recent months, calling for proper medical care for Khan.