Thousands of Imran Khan supporters march towards Islamabad after talks fail

Thousands of supporters of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan have begun a march towards Islamabad demanding his release, after talks between his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the government ended in a deadlock.

More than 5,000 supporters joined the march when it began from Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday, with provincial Chief Minister Sohail Afridi leading the convoy. The march had paused overnight and was expected to resume on Monday.

The PTI has also demanded that Khan, 73, be given access to medical treatment and his family. Concerns over his health have intensified in recent months, with his family alleging that he has lost most of the vision in his right eye after authorities failed to provide timely medical care.

The party had sought access to Khan so its leaders could consult him on political and national matters, as well as an immediate medical examination and treatment. Khan was briefly moved from prison to a state-run hospital in August for medical examination and treatment, after which doctors declared him medically fit. His family and the PTI, however, criticised authorities for not allowing doctors from a private hospital specified in a court order to examine him.

Khan has been in prison since August 2023 and faces more than 100 cases, including charges involving state secrets and the sale of state gifts. He and the PTI have maintained that the cases are politically motivated.

The latest march was originally scheduled for September 27 but was postponed to allow negotiations between the PTI and the federal government. Two rounds of talks held on Friday and Saturday failed to produce an agreement, with access to Khan and disagreements over counterterrorism policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emerging as major sticking points.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused Afridi of sabotaging the negotiations, while the PTI blamed the government for refusing to accept its demands. Naqvi said the government and opposition had agreed on most political issues but remained divided over counterterrorism arrangements.

Authorities have deployed additional security forces and placed shipping containers on major roads leading into Islamabad to prevent the protesters from entering the capital. The government has warned that the march could lead to violence, citing previous protests by Khan's supporters.

Khan's supporters have staged repeated protests since his imprisonment. His arrest in May 2023 triggered violent demonstrations across Pakistan, during which military installations and other government properties were attacked.

Khan, a former captain of Pakistan's national cricket team, served as prime minister from 2018 until his removal in a parliamentary vote in 2022. He remains a major political force in Pakistan despite being in prison.