Jamaat-e-Islami ends Lahore sit-in and announces Karachi-to-Islamabad march
Published · Updated
What happened
JI called off its Lahore sit-in on September 19 and announced a new mobilisation plan starting in Karachi and moving toward Islamabad. At the same time, the federal government renewed contact with JI through Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal's outreach to Liaquat Baloch for further talks.
Why it matters
A party protest moved from a fixed-site demonstration to a route-based mobilisation across multiple cities, changing the operational burden for provincial administrations and police. The government's renewed outreach indicates a live attempt to shape whether the next phase proceeds as a negotiated de-escalation or a larger march.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) ended its 33-day sit-in in Lahore on September 19 and said it will start a "super long march" from Karachi by train before continuing by road toward Islamabad. The federal government also reopened contact for talks, with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal reaching out to JI leader Liaquat Baloch. The development shifts a protest that had been concentrated in Punjab into a planned multi-city mobilisation with immediate implications for policing, transport, and opposition coordination.
Watch for
Jamaat-e-Islami central leadership confirmation on 2026-09-20 of the Karachi departure timetable, route, and assembly points for the long march Sindh Home Department or Karachi Commissioner order on 2026-09-20 or 2026-09-21 restricting rallies, train movements, or road access linked to JI's mobilisation Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal or Liaquat Baloch public confirmation by 2026-09-21 of a fresh negotiation session and any written terms on electricity tariffs or protest suspension Islamabad Capital Territory Police deployment notice or Section 144 order by 2026-09-22 tied to a possible JI convoy entering the capital
Sources
- Dawn · dawn.com
- PM Shehbaz asks Jamaat-e-Islami to postpone Islamabad march, offers talks · thenews.com.pk
- PM Shehbaz asks JI to postpone Islamabad march, offers talks on petroleum levy · geo.tv
- Jasarat · jasarat.com
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