Thousands of Imran Khan supporters march on Islamabad demanding his release

Thousands of supporters of detained former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan began a march towards the capital Islamabad demanding his release, amid tight security. The march set off from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, led by provincial chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur. It comes amid a political crisis since Khan's ouster in 2022 and his arrest in May 2023.

Thousands of supporters of detained former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan began a march on Monday towards the capital Islamabad, demanding his release. The march set off on Sunday from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the country's northwest, which is governed by Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. It is being led by provincial chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who called on Khan's supporters to come out "for your leader who is languishing in prison." The rift between the party and Pakistan's leadership dates back to 2022, when parliament ousted Khan from office. Khan has accused the military of being behind his removal, a charge the army denies. The crisis deepened following Khan's arrest in May 2023, when his supporters rioted and attacked military installations, prompting a crackdown that resulted in the arrest of thousands of PTI supporters. The march comes amid tight security in the capital, with authorities deploying thousands of police and paramilitary forces in and around Islamabad and placing shipping containers to fortify the government district. The government has said it will not allow protesters to enter the capital, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stating: "We will put an end to this, once and for all."