- The main road was cleared and traffic was fully restored after hours of disruption.
- The protest caused nearly six hours of severe traffic congestion.
- Vehicles remained stuck in long queues during the sit-in.
A sit-in protest organized by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at 26 Chungi in Islamabad was called off after successful negotiations with the capital’s police, officials said on Wednesday.
SSP operations of Islamabad police said that talks between PTI leaders and the police regarding reopening of the road ended in an agreement, following 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 scene 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 prison sources who said Geographic news on Tuesday.
The visit by the medical team came after PTI-backed KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi failed in his bid to meet the jailed former prime minister in prison.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 after being convicted in a series of cases that he claims were politically motivated.
Since his ouster via a no-confidence vote in 2022, Khan has faced multiple cases, including those involving state donations and an illegal marriage. Some sentences have been suspended or overturned, while in other cases appeals are still pending. He denies any wrongdoing.
The blockade caused severe traffic disruptions for several hours, with vehicles stuck in long queues on multiple routes in the capital and traffic paralyzed for around six hours.
Speaking to the media at 26 Chungi, the KP chief minister said he and his cabinet members were prevented 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 disease and needs to be treated at the hospital of his choice,” he added.
The KP chief minister further said that the former prime minister had “shown generosity” in allowing the treatment of political opponents in the past, adding that the party only demanded 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 be successful, while attempts were also being made on the political front and for the release of the PTI founder and other detained leaders.
