October 4, 2026 — Pakistan’s opposition PTI party launched a “long march” toward Islamabad on Sunday to demand the release of former prime minister Imran Khan. The march is routed through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over several days and is headed for D-Chowk in the capital. Its arrival date is TBA.
The details
- Who: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi led the march out of Lakki Marwat on October 4.
- Published route: near Karak overnight on October 4, Kohat on October 5–6, the Peshawar area on October 7, then Charsadda Interchange to Khairabad on October 8.
- Restrictions: gatherings are banned under Section 144 in several Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts from October 3 to 10.
- Islamabad roads: Al Jazeera reported on October 2 that shipping containers have blocked roads in and around the capital for about four weeks, with no firm end date.
- Airports: no airport closure is reported. We could not verify any motorway or mobile-data shutdown.
What it means for airline travelers
- Islamabad airport: road access could be cut at short notice around October 8–10. Leave many hours early or stay near the airport the night before.
- Avoid the march route and D-Chowk, and stay away from large gatherings.
- Standby: if roads close, missed flights pile up and seats vanish for days. Keep a flexible return and a backup through Lahore or Karachi.
- Register with STEP (US) or Registration of Canadians Abroad, and carry a charged phone and cash.
Sources
- Islamabad Post — CM Afridi launches PTI long march to Islamabad from Lakki Marwat
- Al Jazeera — ‘Containerabad’: Pakistan’s capital and truckers bleed money amid lockdown
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