PTI Ends Protest Outside K-P House; Traffic Reopens

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wrapped up its sit-in outside the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) House on Monday. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur departed from the protest site as tensions simmered over concerns for PTI founder Imran Khan’s health.

The demonstration, which lasted four days, came to an end after a sit-in by National Assembly members and senators at Parliament Lodges also concluded. Opposition Members of Provincial Assembly (MNAs) have since continued their sit-in outside Parliament House, with prominent figures like Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Nasir Abbas, Asad Qaiser, and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja participating.

In a statement to the media, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced that opposition leader Achakzai would declare the sit-in’s conclusion. “We are waiting for Imran’s medical report,” Gohar said, adding that whatever the findings contain would be made public.

The opposition protest is linked to worries over Imran Khan’s condition following a five-member specialist team’s visit to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on Sunday. A team of specialists from the two-member medical board conducted eye examinations for PTI founder, with no PTI leaders present despite offers from the government. The site was secured with necessary equipment and medicines.

PTI protesters have been blocking major highways connecting K-P with Punjab since Friday. They demand urgent medical care for Imran Khan, citing significant deterioration in his right-eye vision and insisting on treatment in the presence of his family and personal physicians.

Meanwhile, shortages are emerging as PTI workers have disrupted essential commodity supply chains over the past four days. The Peshawar Motorway remained closed for a third day from the Mardan Rashakai Interchange, while other routes also faced closures due to protests. Protesters have targeted key routes across K-P territory.

These blockades have effectively isolated K-P from Punjab, which is a major source of goods such as flour, rice, and pulses. The closure of key highways has raised concerns about potential shortages during the upcoming Ramazan period.

As tensions continue to escalate, the PTI protesters are pushing for immediate action on Imran Khan’s medical care while the government remains largely silent on the issue. This standoff underscores ongoing political tension in Pakistan where healthcare rights and provincial autonomy intersect.