'Protest everyone's right but minus Islamabad': Sanaullah says 'practice' of marches to capital should end

'Protest everyone's right but minus Islamabad': Sanaullah notes 'practice' of marches to capital should end.

Key points

• News Desk Published September 26, 2026 Updated September 27, 2026 01: 16am.
• The federal administration has additionally approved the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad and a number of districts of Punjab from Sept 20 to Oct 5.
• The PM's aide stressed that no streets in Islamabad, besides those in the Red Zone and the M-1 Motorway, were shut for traffic.
• If anyone needs to protest, they can do so in Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Peshawar, or Multan.
• This person has been incarcerated there since an Aug 5, 2023 conviction.

News Desk Published September 26, 2026 Updated September 27, 2026 01: 16am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

Prime Minister's Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah contended on Saturday that everyone had a constitutional and legal right to protest, but Islamabad should be off-limits for demonstrations and pressed residents to "end the practice" of staging long marches and protests in the federal capital.

PTI had been gearing up for a nationwide protest and march towards Islamabad to press for the release of its founder, Imran Khan. This person is at present incarcerated in Rawalpindi's Adiala jail. Nevertheless, the party unveiled a day ago that the march has been postponed to Oct 4.

Jamaat-I-Islami (JI) had additionally rolled out a march towards Islamabad against the petroleum levy, but it postponed the move at the request of PM Shehbaz Sharif, pending a session with him.

"If anyone needs to protest, they can do so in Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Karachi, Peshawar, or Multan. This practice needs to end, " Sanaullah remarked on Geo News programme 'Jirga'.

He observed that the ban on protests in Islamabad did not apply only to the PTI. Gatherings in the capital without prior permission are additionally banned under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024. It had been rushed through the National Assembly ahead of a PTI gathering that month.

"Peaceful protest is everyone's constitutional and legal right, but they need to minus Islamabad from that, " Sanaullah stated. "It is everyone's right, but minus attacks on Islamabad. This must be ensured."

As foreign diplomats were present in the federal capital and demonstrations would send a "bad message", he highlighted that a message had been sent that no protests would be allowed within Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the PML-N leader accused PTI of aiming to overthrow the administration, alleging that their goal is to "erect ladders next to the walls of Adiala jail and break in to meet Imran Khan". This person has been incarcerated there since an Aug 5, 2023 conviction. "How is this peaceful?" Sanaullah asked.

"Party leaders have been threatening to overthrow the government or free someone from jail and then go back, " he outlined. "Permission for a long march will not be granted if this is their intent."

Meanwhile, the PM's aide stressed that no streets in Islamabad, besides those in the Red Zone and the M-1 Motorway, were shut for traffic. He clarified that containers had only been placed "at the corners" of the city's roads for "safety".

"There are containers on every corner of Islamabad, but as we speak right now, no roads have been closed with them, " he remarked, explaining that containers have been placed at those points so they can be deployed as and when needed.

"The situation in Islamabad is not as it is being described in the media, " he asserted, noting that some were referring to the capital as a "container city".

Meanwhile, the PM's aide stressed that PTI additionally did not submit any application to the Islamabad administration seeking permission for a gathering, nor inform it of its anticipated time and duration.

Sanaullah continued that PTI should approach the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and provide their "required guarantees", contending that they did not intend to do that.

Asked if the authorities' response to any march would be similar to the Nov 26, 2024 crackdown on PTI's 'Final Call' protest, Sanaullah remarked he did not want to "say any such thing" as there were fellow Pakistanis, friends and colleagues in the party.

Nevertheless, he cautioned that PTI "should not hold such a march at any cost that would attempt to push back law enforcement agencies and move towards D-Chowk".

After IHC's recent ruling, would provide authorities with "legal backing" to respond, "Under no circumstance will they be granted access, " Sanaullah cautioned, cautioning PTI supporters against using force, noting that such an action.

Hearing a plea against the planned march, the IHC on September 14 ruled that no political party or its leadership has the "lawful right to occupy public roads, highways, interchanges, toll plazas and buildings in Islamabad".

Meanwhile, in the Rawalpindi Division and the federal capital territory, security measures and preparations to accord with any emergency situation remain in place despite the postponement of the march.

Punjab had already imposed a ban on gatherings throughout the province until Oct 5 and prohibited inciting residents to "unlawful assembly". A similar ban under Section 144 has been enforced in Islamabad for two months.

For context, the federal administration has additionally approved the deployment of Rangers in Islamabad and a number of districts of Punjab from Sept 20 to Oct 5.

Taken together, the developments around ' Protest everyone' s right but minus Islamabad' : Sanaullah says ' practice' of marches to point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.