Talks between Pakistan's Shehbaz govt, Imran Khan's PTI fail; Islamabad braces for more protests

Islamabad (AP) — Hundreds of supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan are preparing a days-long march to Islamabad starting Sunday, seeking his release. This comes after government and opposition talks collapsed. Khan is the main political rival of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and has been imprisoned since 2023 on corruption and other charges, which his party claims are politically motivated.

Despite remaining popular, Khan's supporters will travel from Lakki Marwat district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a stronghold of his party, PTI. Roadblocks have been set up in Islamabad, and the march will include overnight stops in various locations. Khan's party and the government had attempted to postpone the march but were unable to reach an agreement.

Sharif cited an increase in militant attacks in the northwest as justification for the postponement, while his government accused PTI of sympathizing with the Pakistani Taliban. The organizers vow to reach Islamabad regardless, with protesters demanding Khan's transfer to a hospital and permission for his family to visit him. Khan, a former cricket star, was removed from office in a parliamentary vote in 2022, a claim Khan's party says was rigged.