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| A road closure sign and barricades block a roadway amid heightened security measures ahead of a planned political march in Pakistan.( Photo credit: Unsplash) |
Islamabad, September 23, 2026: Pakistan has stepped up security measures in and around Islamabad ahead of a planned protest march by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
Authorities have restricted access to the capital, placed shipping containers at key entry points and deployed thousands of additional security personnel. According to a Pakistani Interior Ministry official cited by Reuters, nearly 35,000 additional police and paramilitary personnel have been stationed in and around Islamabad.
Major Highways Blocked
Two major highways connecting Islamabad with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been closed, while police have also announced restrictions on other important routes. The measures are intended to prevent large groups of protesters from entering the capital ahead of the planned September 27 march.
Shipping containers have been used as barricades around Islamabad's government district and at important crossings. Al Jazeera reported that around 2,000 containers had been placed around the capital and the Attock Bridge area.
PTI Says March Will Go Ahead
PTI has said it intends to proceed with the planned mobilisation despite the government's security restrictions. The party is demanding the release of Imran Khan, who has remained in prison since 2023.
The government's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has warned the party against proceeding with the protest and said authorities would respond if the demonstration became violent.
Arrests and Detentions
Security preparations have also been accompanied by arrests and detentions. Reuters reported that three of Imran Khan's sisters and hundreds of PTI activists had been detained in recent days, with authorities citing public-order concerns.
Aleema Khan, one of Imran Khan's sisters, was arrested in Lahore on September 20 and ordered to be detained for 30 days under a public-order law, according to Reuters.
Security Forces Deployed Across Punjab
The security operation is not limited to Islamabad. Punjab authorities have requested deployment of Rangers in Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Mianwali ahead of the march.
Pakistan's Dawn newspaper had earlier reported plans for more than 22,000 security personnel in Islamabad and over 30,000 in Attock district as authorities prepared for possible protests.
The situation remains fluid as the September 27 protest approaches, with authorities continuing to restrict routes into the capital while PTI maintains that its planned mobilisation will proceed.