PTI clears Islamabad blockade after hours of disruption and negotiations with police

• Main road cleared and traffic fully restored after hours of disruption.
• Protest caused nearly six hours of severe traffic congestion.
• Vehicles remained stuck in long queues during sit-in.
  

A sit-in protest by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at Chungi Number 26 in Islamabad was called off after successful negotiations with the capital police, officials said on Wednesday.

Islamabad police’s SSP Operations said talks between the PTI leaders and police over reopening the road ended in agreement, after which the main road was cleared, and traffic was restored.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and party founder Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, later left the site after the protest was dispersed.

The protest was held to express solidarity with Khan, who underwent a medical examination at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, according to jail sources who told Geo News on Tuesday.

The medical team’s visit came after PTI-backed KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi failed in his attempt to meet the jailed former premier at the prison.

Khan has been jailed since August 2023 after being convicted in a series of cases he says were politically motivated.

Since his ouster through a no-confidence vote in 2022, Khan has faced multiple cases, including those related to state gifts and an unlawful marriage. Some convictions have been suspended or overturned, while appeals in other cases remain pending. He denies wrongdoing.

The blockade caused severe traffic disruption for several hours, with vehicles stuck in long queues across multiple routes in the capital and traffic coming to a standstill for around six hours.

Speaking to the media at 26 Number Chungi, the KP chief minister said he and his cabinet members were stopped from meeting Imran Khan, calling the move “discriminatory”.

“We are here to meet Imran Khan peacefully,” he said, adding that party workers had shown restraint throughout.

Afridi said Imran Khan’s meetings with family members, lawyers and personal doctors were a basic human right.

“Imran Khan has a serious eye condition and should be provided treatment at a hospital of his choice,” he added.

The KP chief minister further said the former premier had “shown generosity” in allowing treatment for political opponents in the past, adding that the party was only demanding fundamental human rights.

Afridi also said his government was committed to resolving provincial issues and restoring stability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said efforts to improve peace in the province were ongoing and would succeed, while attempts were also being made on the political front and for the release of the PTI founder and other detained leaders.