Published : 05 Oct 2026, 11:34 AM
Updated : 05 Oct 2026, 11:34 AM
Thousands of supporters of jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan are marching towards Islamabad, demanding his release amid growing concerns over his health in prison.
The march began on Sunday in Lakki Marwat, around 275km from the Pakistani capital, and paused overnight, the BBC reported. It is expected to resume around midday on Monday.
Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had originally planned the march for last week but postponed it to allow talks with the government. The negotiations subsequently ended without an agreement.
Sohail Afridi, chief minister of the PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, expects the march to reach a town about 80km west of Islamabad by Thursday.
Authorities have meanwhile placed shipping containers on key routes into Islamabad in an effort to restrict access to the capital.
The latest mobilisation comes as Khan's family and party raise concerns about his health. His family says he has lost most of the vision in his right eye and has accused prison authorities of failing to respond adequately.
The PTI said one of its demands during talks with the government was an immediate medical examination and treatment for Khan. It also sought access to him so party leaders could consult him on political and national issues.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, however, accused Afridi of "sabotaging" the negotiations, according to Pakistani media cited by the BBC.
Khan was briefly taken from prison to a state-run hospital in August for examination and treatment following complaints about his deteriorating health. Doctors subsequently declared him "medically fit".
His family and the PTI criticised the authorities, saying a court had ordered that he be examined by doctors at a specified private hospital.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 and faces charges in more than 100 cases, ranging from corruption and the sale of state gifts to leaking state secrets.
He was sentenced to 14 years in prison in a corruption case last year. Khan has rejected the cases against him as politically motivated.
His sister Aleema Khanum was arrested in Lahore on Sept 20. An arrest order accused her of mobilising people to create "law and order situations" and chanting slogans against the government, according to the BBC.
Khan, a former captain of Pakistan's national cricket team, served as prime minister from 2018 until 2022.
Despite his imprisonment, he remains a major force in Pakistani politics. Protests by his supporters have previously led to violent clashes and crackdowns by the authorities.
Several former international cricket captains have also appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure Khan receives appropriate medical care.
