Islamabad, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday organised nationwide protests to mark three years since the imprisonment of party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announcing that the party would hold another march towards Islamabad on September 27 if restrictions on Khan were not lifted.
Addressing supporters in Peshawar, Afridi said PTI’s key demands included allowing unrestricted meetings with Imran Khan, permitting access to his personal physician for medical treatment, and ensuring speedy hearings in cases pending against the former prime minister.
“If these demands are not met, we will march on Islamabad on September 27,” Afridi said.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister claimed that Imran Khan could secure his release from prison through “a single signature” but had chosen to remain behind bars for the sake of Pakistan, its people and future generations. He also said PTI had lost confidence in the country’s judicial system following the passage of the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments by the government.
A large number of PTI leaders and workers participated in rallies across the country. In Peshawar, former Members of Provincial Assembly Ayesha Banu and Momina Basit, along with members of the party’s Women Wing, joined demonstrations marking Khan’s imprisonment.
Protests were also held in Quetta on the call of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai. In Lahore, members of the Insaf Lawyers Forum and senior PTI leaders led a rally outside Aiwan-e-Adl, demanding the immediate release of Imran Khan.
In Karachi, PTI supporters gathered near Karachi Press Club, leading to traffic disruptions after authorities blocked roads around the protest venue. Police detained several party workers and leaders and used tear gas and baton charges to disperse protesters, according to reports.
Similar demonstrations were reported in several parts of Sindh, including Nawabshah, Hyderabad, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas and Mithi, where protesters raised slogans demanding Khan’s release.
Imran Khan has been in jail since August 2023 following convictions in multiple cases, which PTI has repeatedly described as politically motivated. Since his removal from power through a no-confidence vote in 2022, the former prime minister has faced several legal cases, including those related to state gifts and an unlawful marriage.
Last month, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Alice Jill Edwards raised concerns over Khan’s reported detention conditions and alleged lack of access to adequate medical care.
In a post on LinkedIn, Edwards said Khan had reportedly spent 33 months in near-total solitary confinement in a small, windowless cell under constant surveillance, with limited human interaction.
She also expressed concern over reports that Khan was being denied proper medical treatment and highlighted his reported spinal injury from a 2013 accident and injuries sustained during a 2022 assassination attempt.
Edwards urged Pakistan to ensure humane detention conditions and allow Khan access to medical examination and treatment of his choice.
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