Pakistan braces for protest by ex-PM Imran Khan supporters after talks with government fail

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday braced for a protest by supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after it decided to proceed with a long march following the failure of negotiations with the government.

The talks focused on key demands of Khan's party, including an immediate meeting with its jailed founder and his transfer to a hospital where his personal doctors could examine and treat him.

The first round of talks was held on Friday, with the two sides exchanging their positions and agreeing to continue negotiations, but without reaching an agreement.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf sought Khan's transfer to a hospital, while the government wanted the party to call off its October 4 protest.

The second round of talks between government negotiators and Khan's party leaders began shortly before 5 pm on Saturday and continued for several hours before ending in a deadlock early Sunday.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had announced plans for a long march to Islamabad on September 27, but later postponed it to October 4 amid government measures to prevent the protest.

The 73-year-old former cricketer-turned-politician has been incarcerated since 2023 and faces more than 100 cases, including corruption and charges related to inciting violence. He is lodged at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.

Khan's party has also demanded the release of his sisters and supporters arrested ahead of the protest, a proper medical check-up for Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, and that their cases be heard without interference.

On August 18, Pakistan's Supreme Court ordered that Khan be shifted to a private hospital in Islamabad for medical examination and treatment following concerns over his health, particularly his eyesight.

The government challenged the order and later filed a review petition.

Meanwhile, preparations were made to take Khan to Shifa International Hospital, but when he was moved from Adiala jail during the night of August 20-21, he was instead taken to the government-run Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The government said the change was made on security grounds.

Khan was examined at PIMS and the government said he was medically fit before he was returned to jail early on August 21. His sister was present during the examination, while his personal physician, who had been waiting at Shifa, was not allowed to participate.

Khan's family and party colleagues objected, arguing that the government had failed to implement the Supreme Court's order, and subsequently sought contempt proceedings against senior officials.

On September 16, however, the Supreme Court deferred the proceedings for three weeks after the Federal Constitutional Court summoned the records of cases concerning Khan's transfer to Shifa International Hospital, leading to a dispute over the two courts' respective jurisdiction.

The unresolved dispute over the implementation of the Supreme Court's order has remained central to Khan's supporters' demand that he be treated at a private hospital by his own doctor.

Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, who was part of the federal government delegation that held discussions with Khan's party members, said on Sunday that the talks failed primarily because the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government could not assure the Centre that it would cooperate in the fight against terrorism in the province.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a northwestern province, is governed by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and the party's planned long march is scheduled to begin from there.

The province has long faced militant violence, particularly from the Pakistani Taliban, with militants operating across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and carrying out attacks.

The second round of talks remained deadlocked over access to Khan, with the government insisting that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf first announce the cancellation of the protest and that the issue of a meeting with its jailed leader would be decided later, according to sources.

The party, however, demanded a meeting with Khan before deciding on the protest, the sources said.

Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan leader and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Nasir Abbas said the talks remained unresolved over both the issue of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and access to Khan, including to his personal physician.

Pakistan Peoples Party leader Sherry Rehman, who also participated in the talks, said the government delegation had discussed all the opposition's points but claimed that the draft agreement was changed four times after it had been agreed upon. She told Geo News that she would not go into details.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced at 12:46 am that the protest would go ahead.

He said in a message on X that party supporters from Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Bannu and Lakki Marwat would join the long march from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat at 1 pm on Sunday.

The caravan will halt for the night near Karak, from where participants will depart at 12:30 pm the next day and stay overnight near Kohat.

At 12 pm on October 6, protesters from Kohat, Hangu, Kurram and Orakzai will join the convoy, which will move towards Peshawar and spend the night near Mattani.

Afridi said the caravan would depart from Budh Bair in Peshawar on the afternoon of October 7. The remaining constituencies of Peshawar will join the convoy at Kohat Road Bridge and the Motorway Toll Plaza before it spends the night near Charsadda Interchange, he said.

The protesters will depart from Charsadda Interchange at 12:30 pm on October 8 after people from Charsadda and Mohmand join them. Afridi said people from across KP would gather at Khairabad that day, but did not announce the final leg of the journey to Islamabad.

Meanwhile, political adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah, said protesters would not be allowed to enter Islamabad.

The federal government had earlier deployed additional security personnel and placed shipping containers on roads leading to the capital to prevent the protesters from entering Islamabad.