Islamabad at the Center of Diplomacy and Protest as PTI and JI Marches Converge
Pakistan's capital found itself the focal point of both international diplomacy and domestic political tension this week: at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed Iran's continued backing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as Pakistan pressed its case as a regional peacemaker; while at home, the government sealed major highways into the capital, deployed container barriers across Islamabad's Red Zone, and braced for converging long marches from PTI — demanding Imran Khan's release — and the Jamaat-e-Islami, protesting soaring fuel prices.
🗳️ Pakistan's Islamabad MoU Reaffirmed at UNGA as PM Shehbaz Pushes Regional De-escalation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24, 2026, emerging to confirm that Tehran fully endorsed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding — a Pakistan-brokered framework in which Islamabad had mediated between Iran and the United States. Pezeshkian hailed Pakistan's regional peace efforts, and PM Shehbaz told accompanying media that the entire Pakistani leadership remained united behind the goal of accelerating those efforts. The prime minister also expressed concern about rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, saying he had urged the Iranian president to work toward reducing friction in those strategically vital waterways. Shehbaz met his Lebanese counterpart Nawaf Salam at the same venue, underscoring Islamabad's active diplomatic engagement at a session dominated by the fallout from US-Iran confrontation. Pakistan's role as a go-between — maintaining relations with both Washington and Tehran — has grown since a US blockade and strikes on Iran earlier in 2026. [1]
🗳️ Highways Sealed and Routes Blocked as Islamabad Braces for PTI Long March on September 27
Major highways and motorways leading into Islamabad were closed or severely restricted on September 24, 2026, as Pakistani authorities moved aggressively to control access to the capital ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march planned for September 27. The National Highways and Motorway Police travel advisory listed closures across several key arteries: the M-1 motorway was shut in both directions between Swabi and the Islamabad Toll Plaza; the E-35 Hazara Motorway was closed between Jharikas and Burhan; and the entire Hakla-to-Yarik stretch of the M-14 was subject to law-and-order restrictions. Restrictions on the M-2 North blocked Islamabad-bound heavy transport between Kot Momin and the capital. The advisory attributed the closures to a vaguely described 'law-and-order situation' rather than naming the march directly. Shipping containers had been deployed across the Red Zone as early as September 18. PTI is demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since 2023. The road closures disrupted intercity passenger movement and freight operations across the province. [3]
🗳️ PM Shehbaz Appeals to Jamaat-e-Islami to Postpone Islamabad March, Offers Petroleum Levy Talks
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached out directly to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman on September 22, 2026, urging the party to postpone its planned march on Islamabad and offering to open formal negotiations on the contentious petroleum levy. The JI had mobilised supporters nationwide and launched a 'train march' from Karachi toward Islamabad, demanding the government scrap the levy and address rising fuel prices and inflation. Hafiz Naeem responded by assuring the prime minister that JI was not seeking a confrontation with the government but was fighting for the rights of ordinary Pakistanis. The JI march was converging toward the capital at the same time PTI was mounting its own long march demanding Imran Khan's release, creating dual pressure on Islamabad's security and administrative apparatus. The PM's outreach to JI signaled the government's concern about managing two simultaneous mass mobilisations. The petroleum levy, imposed to meet IMF fiscal targets, has been a flashpoint of public anger for months, with traders, transport operators, and religious parties all demanding its rollback. Opposition leaders warned that if the government failed to address their demands, both marches would proceed on schedule and Islamabad would face its largest political gathering in years. [5]
Sources: [1] The Express Tribune · [3] The Express Tribune · [5] The News Pakistan