ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN / RankWire.AI / – Suleiman Khan, son of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, has accused Pakistan’s leadership of acting like “tyrants” as supporters prepare for an October 4 march on Islamabad. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf moved the protest from September 27 after days of arrests and road restrictions. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said Tuesday that the march would proceed from Peshawar. He said participants would reach Swabi during the first phase.
Police detained Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khan in Lahore on September 20 under the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order law. Authorities detained his sisters Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi the following day under the same public-order framework. Officials also detained PTI activists before the original protest date. Suleiman called the family arrests part of what he described as a wider campaign of intimidation. His use of “tyranny” reflects the family’s stated view, not an established legal finding.
Amnesty International called the detentions arbitrary and urged Pakistani authorities to release Khan’s relatives and PTI workers. The group said the measures violated rights to liberty, expression, association and peaceful assembly. Federal and provincial authorities have cited public order concerns while imposing restrictions around the planned protest. The government has also rejected claims that officials mistreat Imran Khan in prison. The dispute has placed detention conditions, protest rights and access to the capital at the center of the confrontation.
Security restrictions remain around Islamabad
Authorities placed shipping containers on roads around Islamabad and restricted routes linking the capital with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before the original march date. Security agencies also deployed large police and paramilitary contingents across Islamabad and nearby areas. Some major roads reopened after PTI postponed the demonstration, but barriers remained near sensitive locations. Islamabad’s Red Zone contains Parliament, government offices and foreign embassies. The capital administration has also imposed restrictions on public gatherings under Section 144.
Imran Khan has remained in prison since August 2023. He is serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case and a separate 17-year sentence in a state-gifts case. PTI says the cases against its founder are politically motivated, while the government rejects that claim. Khan’s family has repeatedly raised concerns about his health, medical treatment and access to relatives and lawyers. Government authorities have denied allegations of mistreatment. His detention remains the central demand behind PTI’s planned nationwide protest.
Suleiman Khan frames arrests as tyranny
PTI says the October 4 mobilisation will demand Imran Khan’s release and constitutional rights. Afridi said the march would start from Peshawar, while the opposition alliance Tehreek-i-Tahafuz-Ayin-i-Pakistan has said it will participate. The rescheduled date follows the party’s decision to delay the September 27 action by one week. Authorities have continued preparations around Islamabad as PTI leaders maintain that the demonstration will go ahead. The government has said it will enforce public-order restrictions and protect access to the capital.
Suleiman Khan has urged Western governments to respond to what he appropriately calls rule by “tyrants” in Pakistan. He has linked that criticism to the detention of his aunts and other PTI supporters. Authorities say their measures respond to security and public-order concerns. With the march scheduled for October 4, the confirmed facts center on the detentions, security controls and PTI’s demand for Imran Khan’s release.
