Imran Khan Supporters To March On Islamabad After Pakistan Govt Talks End In Deadlock

Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to proceed with its planned march towards Islamabad after marathon talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government ended in a deadlock.

The second round of government-opposition negotiations continued for hours at Parliament House on Saturday before ending early Sunday without an agreement. The talks were aimed at preventing the PTI-led protest march, which seeks Imran Khan’s release and greater access to the former premier while he remains in jail.

The two sides remained divided over several issues, including a demand for opposition representatives to meet Khan and access to his personal doctors. PTI had also sought his transfer to a hospital for medical treatment. The government, meanwhile, wanted the party to call off the October 4 march before considering further political concessions.

Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas described the outcome as a “deadlock” and said the issue of meetings with Khan remained unresolved. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, who represented the government in the negotiations, said the talks also failed because the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government could not provide assurances over cooperation in the fight against terrorism.

The government has since claimed that the PTI side had agreed to a written arrangement on counterterrorism measures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but later backed away from it. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the provincial government had agreed to submit an implementation plan within 72 hours, a claim the PTI side has disputed.

With no agreement reached, PTI leaders said the Islamabad march will go ahead as planned. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced that the first phase of the mobilisation would begin from Gandhi Chowk in Lakki Marwat.

The proposed route through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa includes Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak, Kohat, Peshawar and Charsadda, with PTI supporters expected to converge at Khairabad on October 8. The next phase of the march is expected to be announced there.

The march was originally scheduled for September 27 but was postponed to October 4 amid negotiations with the government.