Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Sohail Afridi has warned of a mass march towards Islamabad on September 27 if legal cases against PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are not heard on merit, and if restrictions on prison meetings are not lifted.
Addressing a gathering in Peshawar on Wednesday to mark three years of Khan’s imprisonment, Afridi set two demands before authorities: merit-based court decisions and immediate restoration of visits by family, lawyers, and party leaders.
Afridi claimed that meetings with Khan at Adiala Jail have been blocked for eight months.
He stated that Khan would walk free within 30 minutes under an independent judiciary and insisted that the former premier has refused to sign any deal to secure early release.
Taking an oath from the crowd, Afridi called on supporters to join the Islamabad march regardless of security actions, while blaming the federal government for the resurgence of terrorism in KP.
The Peshawar gathering formed part of a nationwide day of action called by the opposition party, which triggered police crackdowns, road blockades, and dozens of detentions across Punjab and Sindh.
In Lahore, police deployed heavy contingents around Civil Secretariat and Aiwan-i-Adl to stop demonstrations. Officers used baton charges against protesters and journalists covering the rally.
PTI Central Punjab General Secretary Bilal Ejaz confirmed the arrest of one MNA, four MPAs, and multiple party workers.
Demonstrators carried party flags and demanded the release of all political prisoners. Similar street demonstrations took place across several Punjab districts, including Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Kasur, Jhang, and Rahim Yar Khan.
In Karachi, authorities sealed all routes to the Karachi Press Club with shipping containers to prevent workers from gathering.
The restrictions forced PTI leaders to shift the main demonstration to Zainab Market. Police fired teargas and launched baton charges to disperse crowds, disrupting traffic and forcing early shop closures in Saddar.
Addressing the crowd at Zainab Market, PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh demanded the immediate release of detained workers and insisted that fresh, transparent elections remain the only solution to the country’s political crisis.
In Islamabad, party workers led by regional president Amir Mughal staged a single protest along Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Road.
Peaceful demonstrations also occurred in Hyderabad, where activists held a sit-in outside the local press club without police interference, alongside joint protests staged by political alliances in Larkana.
