Rana Sanaullah Calls for End to Protest Marches on Islamabad

“Rana Sanaullah said political parties should end the practice of marching on Islamabad while maintaining that they retain the right to protest elsewhere.”

— Editorial Team

Key points

Rana Sanaullah said political parties should end the practice of marching on Islamabad while maintaining that they retain the right to protest elsewhere.
His remarks followed PTI’s decision to postpone its planned march until October 4, with security preparations around the capital still in place.

Politics|By Editorial Team|Published 26-Sep-26|Latest update 9/26/2026, 6:55:00 PM|2 min read

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday that people have a constitutional and legal right to protest, but political parties should stop organising marches towards Islamabad. His remarks came as authorities remained prepared for a possible confrontation over opposition demonstrations in and around the capital.

Speaking in a televised interview, Sanaullah argued that demonstrations could take place in other Pakistani cities. He said the government’s position on protests in Islamabad applied beyond any single party. His comments followed the postponement of a planned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf march to the capital, which the party had organised to demand the release of its founder, former prime minister Imran Khan.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced a day earlier that the PTI march would be delayed until October 4. Jamaat-i-Islami had also postponed a separate march against the petroleum levy after a request from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, pending a meeting with him. The two decisions eased the immediate pressure on the capital, although the dispute over where and how political groups may demonstrate remains unresolved.

Sanaullah said gatherings in Islamabad require prior permission under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act 2024. He maintained that PTI had not submitted an application to the capital’s administration setting out the proposed time and duration of its gathering. He suggested that the party approach the Islamabad High Court and provide the guarantees required for a demonstration.

The adviser disputed descriptions of Islamabad as a city sealed by containers. He said barriers had been positioned at road corners for possible use, while asserting that streets other than those in the Red Zone and on the M-1 Motorway had not been closed to traffic at the time of his interview. He also warned against any attempt by marchers to push past law enforcement personnel towards D-Chowk.

The disagreement has implications for both political participation and daily life in the federal capital. Security preparations in Islamabad and the Rawalpindi division remained in place despite the march’s postponement. Punjab had imposed restrictions on gatherings until October 5, while a separate restriction under Section 144 was in force in Islamabad. The government had also approved the deployment of Rangers in the capital and several Punjab districts through October 5. With PTI’s march rescheduled, the next test will be whether the party seeks permission, pursues a court remedy or revises its protest plans.