Legal challenge launched against PTI’s planned march on Islamabad

Legal challenge introduced against PTI's planned march on Islamabad.

Key points

• Malik Asad Published September 8, 2026 Updated September 8, 2026 07: 18am.
• IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar will hear the petition filed by citizen Waqas Ahmed on Tuesday.
• KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi spent the past few days in Sindh to mobilise the party supporters for the Sept 27 protest.
• According to He had additionally, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi would lead the Sept 27 long march towards Islamabad, desc­ribing the planned mobilisation as a nationwide movement.
• The petitioner particularly triggered concern over the proposed participation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who, according to the PTI's announcement, would lead the Islamabad-bound protest.

Malik Asad Published September 8, 2026 Updated September 8, 2026 07: 18am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

IHC CJ Dogar to take up petition against Sept 27 protest today Petitioner fears disruption of routine life, traffic, and businesses, seeks court intervention against employ of provincial resources for march KP CM asks Karachi lawyers to join protest, states Imran not cutting any deals.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has been moved against the PTI's planned sit-in and nationwide protest scheduled for Sept 27, with the petitioner apprehending disruption of routine life, traffic and business activities in the federal capital.

As respondents, the petitioner has created the inspectors general of police of all four provinces, Islamabad Police and Motorway Police, besides other relevant administration authorities. According to the petition, the PTI has confirmed a sit-in in Islamabad on Sept 27. It could cause inconvenience to citizens and commuters and adversely affect business activities in the capital.

Meanwhile, the petitioner particularly triggered concern over the proposed participation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who, according to the PTI's announcement, would lead the Islamabad-bound protest. The petition expressed apprehension that the resources and machinery of the provincial administration could be utilised for political activity.

It sought directions to the provincial authorities not to involve themselves in any political activity and to confine themselves to their official responsibilities. The petitioner additionally sought appropriate directions to the respondents to ensure that the rights of ordinary citizens, commuters and business communities were not affected by the proposed protest. The petition came ahead of the PTI's preparations for its Sept 27 mobilisation. It the party leadership declared would not remain confined to Islamabad.

KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi spent the past few days in Sindh to mobilise the party supporters for the Sept 27 protest. Speaking at a convention organised by the Sindh High Court Bar Association on Monday, the CM. This person reached Karachi despite hurdles, invited lawyers to participate in the PTI protest and maintained that his leader Imran Khan was standing firm for the future of the country and was not striking any accord for his release.

While the Supreme Court had ordered hospitalisation of former premier, but that was to no avail, he remarked the Islamabad High Court had ordered his gathering with the party founder. He continued the judiciary was reluctant to timely fix the contempt applications for hearings.

Meanwhile, the CM additionally complained concerning the obstacles on the route of his convoy. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari posted a welcome message on social media while his party's administration in Sindh placed obstacles in the way of his convoy and arrested the participants.

Notably, the CM apologised to the individuals of Sindh and Karachi for the inconvenience caused by his convoy's movement. He, nevertheless, stated the province already lacked adequate infrastructure and that even the available thoroughfares had been blocked.

According to PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, the party's call for Sept 27 is aimed at mobilising individuals nationwide for the supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, and release of PTI founder Imran Khan. He had clarified that demonstrations would be held in every city and district, maintaining that peaceful protest was a constitutional and legal right. "The people from every province and district would take to the streets as a nationwide, peaceful movement for their rights and the supremacy of the Constitution and law, " he had remarked.

According to Mr Raja had further, the Sept 27 protest would be "Pakistan's voice" and that the party would exercise what it considered its constitutional and legal right to hold peaceful demonstrations. According to He had additionally, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi would lead the Sept 27 long march towards Islamabad, desc­ribing the planned mobilisation as a nationwide movement.

Meanwhile, the preparations for the mobilisation have additionally seen the emergence of a volunteer organisation among PTI workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Last week, a group of ideological PTI workers confirmed the formation of a volunteer unit called 'Pasdaran-I-Azm Imran Khan Pakistan' to assist participants and provide backing during the Sept 27 long march. The announcement was created by PTI leader Daniyal Khan Afridi, along with other party workers, at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club. Ishaq Tanoli in Karachi additionally contributed to this report. Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2026.

Malik Asad is an Islamabad-based reporter for Dawn with two decades of experience covering legal affairs, judicial developments, and the civil bureaucracy. He can be discovered on X at @asadrp.

In short, legal challenge launched against PTI's planned march on Islamabad is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.