# Rawalpindi Imposes Section 144 for 30 Days and Blocks Islamabad Routes as PTI Long March Advances

> Authorities in Rawalpindi have enforced Section 144 for 30 days and barricaded entry routes into Islamabad with shipping containers as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's protest march demanding the release of Imran Khan heads toward the capital.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Pakistan · **Published:** 2026-10-11 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/pakistan/pti-ke-islamabad-marcha-se-pahale-rawalpindi-men-dhara-144-rajadhani-ke-raston-para-kntenara-lagakara-nakebndi-46357 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Section 144, Sohail Afridi, Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Politics

Political friction has intensified in Pakistan as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pushes forward with its long march toward Islamabad, demanding the release of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. In response to intelligence alerts regarding potential security risks at sensitive locations, authorities in Rawalpindi have placed security units on high alert and enforced Section 144 across the city for a period of 30 days. Under this restriction, gatherings of more than five individuals, political rallies, sit-ins, demonstrations, and unauthorized drone operations remain strictly prohibited through November 8, 2026, as administrative forces prepare for approaching demonstrators.

## PTI Protest Procession Enters Seventh Day Under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Leadership
The anti-government protest entered its seventh consecutive day on Saturday after originating on October 4, 2026, in Lakki Marwat within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Led by the province's Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the procession features thousands of participants marching in organized stages toward the federal capital. Along with securing Imran Khan's release from prison, the party is demanding that immediate medical care be extended to him. Having already traveled through Karak, Kohat, and Peshawar, the demonstrators are congregating toward Swabi, where Chief Minister Sohail Afridi stated that the exact plan and route for entering Islamabad would be formally announced.

## Sand-Filled Containers Block Highways as Security Forces Seal Capital Borders
The federal government headed by Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed its decision to prevent marchers from entering Islamabad. Security measures around key governmental districts have been reinforced with heavy deployments of police and paramilitary forces. Significant entry points leading into the capital, notably the Srinagar Highway and the Grand Trunk (GT) Road, have been blocked using large shipping containers packed with sand. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi warned that participants would face severe opposition and declared that demonstrators will not be allowed to cross Attock into Punjab province. Furthermore, telecommunications and mobile internet services were temporarily suspended in specific pockets of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab during the march.

## Troop Deployment Under Article 245 and Surveillance Around Critical Sites
Heightened vigilance in Rawalpindi follows a prior federal authorization deploying three companies of the Pakistan Army under Article 245 of the country's constitution. That six-month deployment originally took effect on August 21, 2026. With Section 144 now in place, civil administration has barred public assemblies and political actions across the city. Security forces stationed at high alert have received strict orders to maintain special precautions around sensitive infrastructure and government installations to thwart unauthorized movement toward the federal capital.

## What this means for you
The imposition of Section 144 and extensive barricades across Rawalpindi and Islamabad directly disrupts daily commuting, commercial movement, and communication networks for local residents.

- **Commuter Delays:** Sand-filled shipping containers placed along the Srinagar Highway and GT Road have blocked primary transport corridors between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Commuters and long-distance travelers face severe traffic congestion and must rely on limited detours.
- **Communication Disruptions:** Temporary suspensions of mobile networks and internet services in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have halted digital connectivity. Residents, local businesses, and students in these areas are experiencing acute disruption to daily communication.
- **Restrictions on Public Gatherings:** Section 144 prohibits gatherings of five or more individuals alongside public rallies until November 8, 2026. Local citizens must postpone collective public meetings and avoid unauthorized assemblies to prevent legal penalties.
- **Heightened Security Checks:** With military companies deployed under Article 245 and paramilitary units on high alert, security checkpoints around sensitive infrastructure have expanded. Residents traveling across district borders must undergo thorough security screenings and verification procedures.

## Why this happened
The administrative crackdown and security lockdown were triggered by PTI's large-scale protest march advancing toward the capital to demand the release and medical treatment of Imran Khan.

- **Demands for Imran Khan's Release:** Demonstrators mobilized across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to demand the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan from detention and the immediate provision of healthcare facilities for him. The movement seeks to exert direct political pressure on the federal capital.
- **Intelligence Warnings on Security Risks:** Authorities in Rawalpindi acted upon specific intelligence reports warning of potential threats directed at sensitive installations and key institutions. These warnings prompted the district administration to enact preventive curfews under Section 144.
- **Federal Stance on Barring Protests:** The federal government under Shehbaz Sharif is determined to block demonstrators from entering Islamabad. Provincial authorities in Punjab and federal security forces coordinated barricades and invoked military support under Article 245 to halt the advance at border points.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Why has Section 144 been enforced in Rawalpindi?
Section 144 was imposed due to the advancing PTI long march and intelligence warnings regarding potential security threats to sensitive locations.

### 2. What restrictions are in place under Section 144 in Rawalpindi?
Gatherings of more than five people, rallies, sit-ins, protests, and unauthorized drone usage are banned until November 8, 2026.

### 3. When and where did PTI's long march originate?
The protest march commenced on October 4, 2026, from Lakki Marwat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

### 4. Who is leading the march and what are the primary demands?
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi is leading the march, demanding the release of imprisoned Imran Khan and immediate medical care for him.

### 5. How is the federal government blocking access to Islamabad?
Authorities placed sand-filled shipping containers across the Srinagar Highway and GT Road, backed by heavy police and paramilitary deployments.

### 6. What legal provision authorized military deployment in Rawalpindi?
Three companies of the Pakistan Army were deployed under Article 245 of the constitution for six months, effective from August 21, 2026.

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