{
  "id": 12132059,
  "title": "Supporters of jailed ex-PM Imran Khan march to Pakistan capital",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/supporters-of-jailed-ex-pm-imran-khan-march-to-pakistan-capital-12132059",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T10:48:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/supporters-of-jailed-ex-pm-imran-khan-march-to-pakistan-capital/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently incarcerated, are marching towards Islamabad, his capital, demanding his release. The 73-year-old, who has been in custody for 17 years over corruption allegations, has recently raised concerns about his health, with his family reporting that he has lost most of his vision in his right eye due to insufficient action by prison authorities. Khan alleges that all charges against him are politically motivated. Despite being behind bars, Khan remains a significant figure in Pakistani politics, and his supporters' demonstrations have led to violent incidents and crackdowns in the past. The march, which began in Lakki Marwat, a city 275km away from Islamabad, is expected to resume around midday local time on Monday. Originally planned for last week, the demonstration was postponed to allow for talks between the government and Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, but negotiations ended without resolution. Khan, who faces multiple charges including leaking state secrets and selling state gifts, was initially imprisoned in August 2023. His wife, Bushra Bibi, was also jailed last year. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Chief Minister Sohail Afridi anticipates that the march will reach a town about 80km west of Islamabad by Thursday, urging the public to actively participate in the political process. Islamabad authorities have barricaded key access routes to the capital with shipping containers. The PTI claims the government rejected their request for access to Khan to consult with him on national and political matters, as well as their demand for an immediate medical examination and treatment for the ailing politician. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused Afridi of \"sabotaging\" the negotiations, citing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's withdrawal from prior commitments on counter-terrorism issues, according to local media reports. In August, Khan was briefly moved from jail to a state-run hospital for medical examination and treatment following health concerns, though doctors later deemed him \"medically fit.\" Khan's family and the PTI criticized the authorities for defying a court order that he undergo medical examination at a specific private hospital. On September 20, Khan's sister Aleema Khanum was arrested in Lahore for mobilizing people to create law and order situations and raise objectionable slogans against the government. Khan, who captained the Pakistan national cricket team and served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, was arrested in May 2023, igniting large-scale violent protests by supporters who damaged government property, resulting in at least eight deaths and the deployment of the army to quell the unrest. Former international cricket captains have recently appealed to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ensure that Khan receives proper medical care.",
  "summary": "Thousands of supporters of Pakistan's jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan are marching to the capital Islamabad as they call for his release.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Sky News",
        "title": "Thousands of Imran Khan supporters march towards Pakistan's barricaded capital",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/thousands-of-imran-khan-supporters-march-towards-pakistans-barricaded",
        "published": "2026-10-04T17:33:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "DW News",
        "title": "Pakistan: Imran Khan supporters demand ex-PM's release",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/pakistan-imran-khan-supporters-demand-ex-pms-release",
        "published": "2026-10-04T18:22:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Pro-Imran Khan mass rally launched after Pakistan government talks fail",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/pro-imran-khan-mass-rally-launched-after-pakistan-government-talks",
        "published": "2026-10-04T19:20:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Pro-Imran Khan march starts in Pakistan’s northwest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/pro-imran-khan-march-starts-in-pakistans-northwest",
        "published": "2026-10-04T21:09:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Pro-Imran Khan march starts in Pakistan's northwest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/pro-imran-khan-march-starts-in-pakistans-northwest-12013838",
        "published": "2026-10-04T21:49:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Pro-Imran Khan march starts in Pakistan's northwest",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/pro-imran-khan-march-starts-in-pakistans-northwest-12023109",
        "published": "2026-10-04T23:04:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC News",
        "title": "Supporters of jailed ex-PM Imran Khan march to Pakistan capital",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/supporters-of-jailed-ex-pm-imran-khan-march-to-pakistan-capital",
        "published": "2026-10-05T03:59:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}