ISLAMABAD – A new development emerged amid growing uncertainty over PTI’s planned Islamabad march, with reports claiming that special arrangements have been completed at Shifa International Hospital for the possible medical stay of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Journalist Meher Bokhari shared details about alleged preparations as PTI leadership continues to debate whether to proceed with its September 27 Islamabad mobilisation or postpone it until early October amid a sweeping security lockdown, arrests and restrictions on routes leading to the capital.
Sources claim a thousands-of-square-feet basement facility at Shifa International Hospital has been specially prepared for Khan’s possible treatment.
The reportedly secured area includes two medical rooms, a dedicated media room and a large waiting area, with modern medical equipment, furniture, surveillance systems and additional security arrangements.
Hospital authorities are also reportedly revising procedures covering access, parking, movement and security, while staff and attendants are facing tighter restrictions.
Sources claim outside food has also been prohibited under the revised arrangements.
According to the reports, Khan was taken to the hospital overnight for medical examinations and subsequently returned, with sources describing his presence as an “in-and-out” visit.
The hospital is reportedly now ready to accommodate the PTI founder should a longer medical stay be ordered or approved.
PTI march hangs in balance
The dramatic hospital development comes as PTI faces a crucial decision over its planned September 27 long march towards Islamabad.
The protest has not been formally cancelled, but senior party figures are reportedly considering shifting it to October 5–10, citing the extensive security deployment, arrests, detentions and closure of major routes.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other PTI leaders have been leading preparations for the mobilisation.
The party says the protest is being planned after political, parliamentary and legal avenues failed to address its demands.
Imran Khan remains at heart of protest
At the centre of the mobilisation is the continued imprisonment of Imran Khan, with PTI demanding greater legal and medical access to its founder. The party is calling for cases involving Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to be dealt with transparently and according to law.
PTI is also demanding unrestricted access for Khan’s family, lawyers, doctors and political representatives, claiming that meetings have been severely restricted for months. The party has raised concerns over his medical treatment and has repeatedly demanded implementation of court directions concerning his healthcare and access.
While some PTI leaders have focused on access and justice as immediate objectives, others have presented Khan’s release as the ultimate goal.
The movement also incorporates wider PTI demands concerning constitutional rights, democratic representation, economic pressures and what the party describes as the denial of its electoral mandate.
PTI has also been coordinating with allied opposition groups, including the Tehreek Tahafuz Aain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), as it prepares for possible nationwide mobilisation. Plans reportedly include caravans from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, participation from other provinces and potential shutdown or protest activity in different areas.
The expected turnout remains contested. PTI has spoken of a major mobilisation, while security estimates have reportedly been based on a crowd of around 20,000 to 25,000 people.
Islamabad turns into security fortress
Meanwhile, authorities have dramatically intensified security across Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Attock. More than 22,000 personnel have reportedly been assigned duties in Islamabad, while preparations in Attock involve more than 30,000 security personnel.
Additional deployments have also been made in Rawalpindi, with combined estimates across the three areas exceeding 35,000 personnel in some reports and reaching more than 60,000 in broader assessments.
Reinforcements have reportedly been requested from Punjab and Sindh, while Rangers and Frontier Constabulary personnel have also been deployed.
Police leave has been cancelled or restricted in some areas, with additional personnel brought into operational duties.
Containers choke major routes
The capital’s entry points have also been transformed by extensive barricading.
Thousands of shipping containers have reportedly been positioned at strategic locations, with barriers reinforced using sand, gravel and other materials.
Major locations including D-Chowk, Faizabad, Zero Point and Serena have been heavily secured, while restrictions have also affected the Srinagar Highway and Islamabad Expressway.
Routes linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with the capital have been closed or placed under strict monitoring, including sections of the motorway and GT Road network.
The Red Zone, home to Parliament, major government buildings and diplomatic missions, remains under particularly tight security.
Tear gas, water cannons and riot gear ready
Authorities have reportedly made extensive preparations for possible crowd-control operations.
The security equipment reportedly includes water cannons, tear-gas shells, rubber bullets and other anti-riot equipment.
One report has cited approximately 110,000 tear-gas shells in available stocks.
CCTV surveillance has reportedly been strengthened, while hospitals including PIMS have been placed on high alert.
Schools and other public buildings have also reportedly been requisitioned to accommodate deployed security personnel.
Arrests pile pressure on PTI
The crackdown has also included preventive detentions of PTI workers and leaders.
While the exact number remains disputed, PTI has reported hundreds of arrests, with some party claims putting the number substantially higher.
Section 144 restrictions have also been imposed in areas covering the protest period, limiting gatherings and processions.
The arrests, road closures and security restrictions have become central to the internal PTI debate over whether September 27 remains the right date for the march.
Government draws red line
The federal government has made it clear that it will not permit PTI supporters to enter Islamabad in a manner that results in violence or prolonged disruption.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and other officials have warned that security forces could respond if the situation turns violent.
The government has also cited court directions concerning road blockades and the use of state resources for political demonstrations.
Authorities have directed provincial administrations against facilitating the march through government machinery.
Officials have further referred to previous PTI protests that escalated into clashes and major disruption while defending the current security preparations.
With September 27 rapidly approaching, PTI’s final decision remains pending.
Sources have also reported backchannel contacts between the government and PTI, with possible confidence-building measures reportedly discussed, including arrangements concerning Imran Khan’s medical treatment and family access. At the same time, reports of extensive preparations at Shifa International Hospital have added another unexpected dimension to the political standoff.
