Pakistan Seizes More Than 2,000 Vehicles Ahead of Imran Khan Supporters’ March

Pakistan has seized more than 2,000 vehicles and accumulated shipping containers in Karachi as authorities move to prevent supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan from reaching Islamabad ahead of a planned October 4 march.

Truck drivers and transport operators say they are refusing to travel north because they fear police will seize their vehicles and use the containers to block roads leading into the capital.

Authorities have positioned sand-filled shipping containers at key entry points to Islamabad in preparation for the planned protest by Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

The disruption has affected routes linking Islamabad with Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Peshawar and Attock, while some transport operators have stopped travelling beyond Gujranwala.

Transporters say the seizure of their vehicles is causing significant financial losses. Daily demurrage charges for a single container can reach between 30,000 and 40,000 Pakistani rupees ($110–$150), in addition to losses from delayed deliveries and idle trucks.

The PTI march, initially planned for September 27, was postponed to October 4 and is aimed at demanding Khan’s release from prison.

The former cricket star has been imprisoned since 2023 after being removed from office. Most of his convictions have since been suspended or overturned, although appeals remain pending.

Transport operators have warned that they could stage their own protest if their complaints are not addressed, while drivers stranded along affected routes say the disruption is preventing them from earning money to support their families.

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