- Published
Supporters of Imran Khan have begun a long march from Pakistan's north-west towards the capital Islamabad, calling for the release of the jailed ex-prime minister.
asserted
Supporters → publish → minister
Some 5,000 people have taken to the streets from the city of Lakki Marwat on Sunday, carrying flags of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
asserted
people → take → party
Also part of the convoy is a truck with a huge billboard that read "release Imran Khan".
asserted
that → read → Khan
Concerns have grown in recent months over the 73-year-old Khan's health.
asserted
Concerns → grow → health
His supporters claim he is unable to access proper medical care.
uncertain
he → claim → care
The march, originally scheduled last week, was postponed to allow for talks between the government and PTI leaders, but these talks have ended in deadlock.
asserted
talks → schedule → deadlock
Sohail Afridi, chief minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province ruled by PTI, expects that the march will make its way to a town about 80km (50 miles) west of Islamabad by Thursday.
asserted
march → rule → Thursday
"[By then] this movement will have reached every corner of the country and every square will have become a centre of activity," he said on Sunday, urging the people to "play an active role in the political process".
asserted
he → reach → process
The demonstrators have paused for the night in the city of Karak and is expected to resume their march around midday on Monday.
asserted
demonstrators → pause → Monday
Authorities in Islamabad have stacked up shipping containers to block key access routes to the capital city.
asserted
Authorities → stack → city
The PTI said talks with government failed because authorities rejected the party's request for access to Khan so that its leaders could consult him on national and political issues.
uncertain
leaders → say → issues
The party also said it had demanded that Khan be given an immediate medical examination and treatment.
asserted
Khan → say → examination
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi meanwhile accused Afridi of "sabotaging" negotiations, saying the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had backed out of earlier commitments on counter-terrorism issues, according to Pakistan's local media reports.
uncertain
government → accuse → reports
In August, Khan was briefly transferred from jail to a state-run hospital for medical examination and treatment following complaints about his deteriorating health.
asserted
Khan → transfer → health
The doctors later deemed him "medically fit".
asserted
him → deem → ?
The intervention was the most significant relief Khan has received from the courts since he was imprisoned in 2023 on corruption charges, which he says were politically motivated.
asserted
he → receive → charges
Khan's family and the PTI, however, criticised the authorities for defying a court order that he be examined by physicians at a specific private hospital.
asserted
he → criticise → hospital
On 20 September, Khan's sister Aleema Khanum was arrested in the eastern city of Lahore.
asserted
sister → arrest → Lahore
The arrest order said Khanum had been mobilising people to "create law and order situations" and "raising/chanting objectionable slogans amongst the general public against the Government".
asserted
Khanum → say → Government
Khan, who previously captained the Pakistan national cricket team, served as the country's prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
asserted
who → captain → 2022
He was imprisoned in August 2023 and has faced charges in more than 100 cases, ranging from leaking state secrets to selling state gifts - all of which he decried as politically motivated.
asserted
he → imprison → which
Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were both sentenced to 17 years late last year.
asserted
Khan → sentence → years
His jailing triggered large-scale protests by supporters, which were met with a crackdown by authorities.
asserted
which → trigger → authorities
Despite his incarceration, Khan remains a significant presence in Pakistani politics with a large number of supporters.
asserted
Khan → remain → supporters
Former international cricket captains have made several appeals to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urging Khan be accorded proper medical care.
asserted
Khan → make → care
The Aporia
