PTI Islamabad March: Pakistan appears to be bracing for a fresh political confrontation after talks between the government and jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ended in a deadlock on Sunday. The party has now decided to proceed with its October 4 march towards Islamabad, while the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government has stepped up security measures in the capital.

Talks Fail

The second round of negotiations, which began on Saturday evening at Parliament House had continued for several hours. The main disagreement was over access to Khan. PTI wanted its representatives to meet him and sought his transfer to a hospital where his personal doctors could examine him. However, the government wanted PTI to first cancel the planned march, as reported by Dawn.

After the talks ended, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas told reporters, “Deadlock”, saying the issue of meetings with Khan remained unresolved. The two sides also disagreed over how to address security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

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PTI Moves Ahead With March

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has announced that the march will begin from Gandi Chowk in Lakki Marwat and move through parts of the province before reaching Khairabad. The PTI leadership has said the protest will continue unless an agreement is reached. Meanwhile, the government has prepared for the mobilisation by deploying additional security personnel and placing shipping containers on roads leading towards Islamabad.

The measures have already disrupted transport and freight movement. According to Reuters, thousands of vehicles have been requisitioned or affected by the security preparations. Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023, remains at Adiala Jail. His party has repeatedly demanded access to him and treatment by his personal physician

Will A New Crisis Unfold In Pakistan?

The latest protest call comes as Pakistan continues to deal with economic and social pressures. The World Bank says poverty reduction has stalled after years of economic shocks, while the country remains vulnerable to debt, weak growth and external pressures. Against this backdrop, another political standoff is expected to add pressure to an already difficult situation.

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