Thousands of supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan gathered in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, calling for his release from prison.
The gathering coincided with the start of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) march toward Islamabad. The march began after negotiations between the government and the opposition reached an impasse over planned protests and access to Imran Khan, the imprisoned founder of the party.
Images from Sunday’s gathering show Imran Khan’s supporters chanting slogans and waving PTI flags. A bus displaying party symbols also carried the message, “Free Imran Khan.”
Sohail Afridi, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said at the gathering: “The people here will accept only Imran Khan’s government and will not accept anyone else in power.”
He added: “We will neither accept the imposition of constitutional emergency rule nor governor’s rule. Imran Khan’s government will remain in place.”
Afrasiab Khan, one of the participants in the march, said: “We want only one thing: Imran Khan’s freedom. That is why we want to make this major march successful. We are not terrorists; we are peaceful people and we love our country.”
The march began after talks between the government and the opposition failed to resolve the deadlock over planned protests and access to Imran Khan, the imprisoned founder of PTI.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the talks had failed and warned that authorities would not allow protesters to violate court orders concerning gatherings in Islamabad.
Naqvi also warned against a repeat of the violence of May 9, 2023, when Imran Khan’s arrest was followed by widespread protests and clashes across Pakistan.
Imran Khan has been in prison since 2023 and is serving sentences in several cases, although convictions in some other cases have been overturned or suspended by the courts.
In December 2025, Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, were each sentenced to 17 years in prison in a corruption case involving state gifts, including expensive jewelry. Both have denied the charges and appealed the verdict.
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