PTI Workers Block Islamabad–Peshawar Motorway, Disrupt Travel and Trade
Swabi (The News) — February 17, 2026: Supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf continued their protest on Monday by blocking the Islamabad–Peshawar Motorway near Swabi for a fourth straight day, leading to widespread travel disruptions and daily life impacts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Key Developments:
- PTI workers continued motorway blockades near Swabi on the fourth consecutive day, causing major disruptions to traffic and daily life.
- Protest leaders demanded that Imran Khan be granted access to treatment by his chosen doctors and family, calling current restrictions unjust.
- Road closures across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have stranded travellers, disrupted fuel and food supplies, and contributed to rising food prices.
Protest leaders Meena Khan Afridi and Shafiullah Jan were among those leading the blockade, which caused significant delays for commuters, cut off key supply routes, and forced stranded passengers to seek alternative routes as traffic ground to a halt.
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Afridi and Jan urged authorities to allow jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to seek medical treatment with his family and personal doctors, describing the current restrictions as unjust and harmful to his health. Their demands reflect broader calls from PTI supporters regarding Khan’s incarceration conditions.
The prolonged highway closures have had notable knock-on effects. Thousands of travellers were left stranded, deliveries of fuel supplies were interrupted, and access to major services including airport transportation faced delays. Local traders and commuters reported rising costs, with the price of essential food items such as flour increasing by roughly Rs200 per bag amid the disruption to supply chains.
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Security forces have been deployed in larger numbers along the blocked stretches in an effort to manage law and order, but the protests continued into the fourth day as workers vowed to maintain pressure until their demands gain attention.
The sit-in near Swabi is part of a broader pattern of road blockades across the province, where key highways linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to other regions remain closed, amplifying economic and logistical strain on local communities. Authorities have yet to announce a resolution or official negotiating response as of Monday evening.
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