Pakistan court orders end to road shutdown in Khan-led party's province

A Pakistani court ordered on Tuesday the immediate reopening of all major highways in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after days of road blockades by supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The Peshawar High Court issued the order while hearing petitions against a four-day shutdown of key routes linking the northwestern province with neighboring Punjab.

The court directed the province’s inspector general of police and chief secretary to ensure the reopening of all roads and submit a compliance report within 24 hours.

Supporters of Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, began staging sit-ins on Friday after reports circulated that Khan had suffered severe vision loss in his right eye. Those claims were later addressed in medical briefings, according to the case record cited during the hearing.

The protests spread to more than seven locations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, severing road links between the province and Punjab.

Routes affected included stretches of the motorway near Swabi, Bhakkar Road in Dera Ismail Khan, roads in Lakki Marwat and Mianwali, the Hazara Motorway, Haveli Interchange in Abbottabad, Kohat Road near Khushal Garh, Yarik Toll Plaza, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor interchange in Upper Kohistan, the Karakoram Highway toward Gilgit, and the Khairabad Bridge on the Grand Trunk Road in Attock.

During the hearing, Justice Ijaz Anwar questioned whether the continued closures violated the law, noting that several major arteries across the province remained blocked.

Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed told the court that many of the affected routes fell under the jurisdiction of motorway authorities. He said police could not register a First Information Report without a formal complaint from the motorway administration.

Justice Anwar criticized the ruling party for causing hardship within its own province, warning that public frustration was mounting and urging officials not to inconvenience residents.

The court ordered that, from Monday onward, neither the motorway nor any other road would be allowed to close under any circumstances. Justice Anwar noted that while the rest of the country remained open, the province had been shut down.

Hameed assured the court that the roads would be reopened the same day.

Later, speaking to reporters, he said police would fulfill their responsibility, ensure the reopening of all routes and take action against those responsible for the blockades.

Ikram Khatana, PTI’s provincial deputy spokesperson, told Nukta the party would review the court order and decide its next steps after internal consultations, citing Khan’s health condition.