A legal challenge has been filed in the Islamabad High Court against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s planned September 27 protest, adding a judicial dimension to preparations for a nationwide mobilisation that the party says will demand constitutional supremacy, rule of law and the release of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Citizen Waqas Ahmed filed the petition, which is set to be heard by Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar on Tuesday. The petitioner argues that the planned sit-in could disrupt daily life, traffic and business activity in the federal capital.
The inspectors general of police from all four provinces, Islamabad Police, Motorway Police and other relevant authorities have been named as respondents.
A major issue raised in the petition concerns the planned participation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. PTI has said Afridi will lead the long march towards Islamabad, while the petitioner has expressed concern that provincial government resources and machinery could potentially be used for political activity.
The petition seeks directions preventing provincial authorities from participating in political activities through their official positions. It also asks the court to direct authorities to protect the rights of commuters, residents and businesses during the planned protest.
These are requests made by the petitioner. The court had not ruled on their merits in the Dawn report published early on September 8.
The legal challenge comes as PTI expands preparations beyond Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Afridi recently travelled through Sindh to mobilise supporters and, while addressing a convention organised by the Sindh High Court Bar Association in Karachi, invited lawyers to participate in the September 27 protest.
Afridi also maintained that Imran Khan was not seeking a political deal for his release. He criticised restrictions faced during his Sindh visit and apologised to residents for inconvenience caused by his convoy.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja has described September 27 as a nationwide mobilisation rather than an Islamabad-only demonstration. According to Raja, demonstrations are planned in cities and districts across Pakistan, with the party presenting the campaign as a peaceful exercise of its constitutional right to protest.
PTI workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also formed a volunteer group called “Pasdaran-i-Azm Imran Khan Pakistan,” which organisers say will assist participants during the long march.
The court case is significant because it could shape how authorities manage the mobilisation before protesters begin moving towards Islamabad. The petition does not itself mean that the September 27 march has been banned or cancelled.
Any restrictions will depend on subsequent court orders, government decisions and security arrangements closer to the protest date.
For commuters and businesses, the practical impact also remains uncertain. PTI’s nationwide mobilisation could affect roads and commercial activity if large numbers participate, but official traffic diversions and closures have yet to be announced.
The immediate focus now shifts to the Islamabad High Court, where the handling of the petition could determine whether authorities receive specific directions on provincial resources, traffic management and protection of normal activity ahead of September 27.
