Major highways and key roads across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained blocked on Saturday as supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged protests over what the party described as denial of medical treatment to its founder, former prime minister Imran Khan. Demonstrations entered their second day, causing widespread disruption to traffic and inter-provincial connectivity.
According to local administration and traffic police officials, protesters erected barricades and staged sit-ins at multiple locations, halting vehicular movement on strategic arteries linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab. Sections of the Peshawar–Islamabad Motorway (M-1), parts of the Grand Trunk (GT) Road, and several entry and exit points in and around Peshawar were affected.
Commuters faced long queues and severe delays, while transporters warned that prolonged closures could disrupt supply chains and goods transportation between provinces. Public transport services were also impacted in several districts as vehicles were diverted or suspended due to security concerns.
District authorities said law enforcement personnel were deployed to maintain order and engage with protest leaders. Officials urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and use alternative routes where possible. No major incidents of violence were reported at the time of filing this report, though tensions remained high in affected areas.
PTI representatives have indicated that protests may expand if their demands regarding Imran Khan’s medical treatment are not addressed. Authorities have not announced a timeline for the reopening of the blocked roads.