Three years after Imran Khan's arrest, Pakistan's opposition landscape has shifted — and the latest protest wave carries a specific, dated threat. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has now set a deadline, warning of a march on the federal capital if judicial conditions are not met. A policeman wields his baton to disperse protesters gathered in Karachi’s Zainab Market.—Fahim Siddiqui / M. Arif / White Star Main Developments The PTI marked the third anniversary of the party founder's arrest on Wednesday with coordinated protests across multiple provinces. Events unfolded simultaneously in Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi, with police responses ranging from pre-emptive roadblocks to baton charges and teargas shelling. Read also: 3 new media rules: HRCP, PFUJ warn of 'chilling message' to foreign press CM Afridi delivered the most pointed warning at a large rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, announcing that the party would march toward Islamabad on Sept 27. He tied this threat to two specific conditions: that the cases of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, be heard on merit, and that restrictions on their meetings with lawyers, family members, and political leaders be lifted. PTI supporters try to push their way through barricades erected by police near Lahore’s Aiwan-i-Adl.—Fahim Siddiqui / M. Arif / White Star In Lahore, the party's Central Punjab leadership organized a protest rally near the civil secretariat and civil courts. Hundreds of workers carrying party flags chanted slogans for the release of Mr Khan and other political prisoners, according to party statements. Police deployed a large contingent and blocked the protest route, then baton-charged workers and journalists. PTI Central Punjab General Secretary Bilal Ejaz reported that one MNA, four MPAs, and several party workers were arrested, along with a journalist covering the event. Karachi saw an hours-long cat-and-mouse game unfold in the downtown area. Authorities sealed all approaches to the Karachi Press Club with shipping containers, foiling the PTI's planned main protest, but workers regrouped near Zainab Market where leaders addressed supporters. Police used baton charges and teargas shelling in Karachi, and the PTI alleged that more than 10 workers were arrested there. The party also reported six workers detained in Pano Aqil and 15 in Kandhkot, where criminal cases were registered against them. Background The protests come exactly three years after Imran Khan's arrest, an event that has defined Pakistan's opposition politics since. The former prime minister remains incarcerated, with his wife Bushra Bibi also detained in connection with the same legal proceedings. CM Afridi alleged that Khan would be released "within 30 minutes" if the judiciary were independent and decided his cases on merit. Without naming any judges or courts, the chief minister issued a direct ultimatum: "You must do justice, otherwise we are coming on Sept 27." The PTI's second demand centers on access. Afridi claimed that meetings between Khan and his doctors, friends, lawyers, and political leaders have been stopped for the last eight months at Adiala Jail. Party workers in Lahore had largely stayed away from street protests in recent months, according to PTI leaders, citing fear of arrests. Those leaders say that previous participation had on several occasions led to the ransacking of homes and businesses and the detention of family members. The Tehreek-i-Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan's (TTAP) Punjab chapter also condemned what it called "indiscriminate police violence" against "peaceful demonstrators" outside Aiwan-i-Adl. Why It Matters The Sept 27 deadline transforms a symbolic anniversary into a concrete political challenge. A march on Islamabad would test the federal government's willingness to allow large-scale opposition mobilization in the capital, and the PTI's capacity to sustain pressure. Afridi's speech linked the protests to broader governance failures, holding the federal government and institutions responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He claimed the insurgency had engulfed the province, adding a security dimension to the political confrontation. The Karachi disruption shows the economic cost of these standoffs. The protest and security operation disrupted traffic, triggered panic among commuters and traders, and forced many businesses in parts of Saddar to shut earlier than usual — an area that typically remains bustling until late evening. Afridi also took an oath from rally participants that they would not be scared of bullets, tanks, and rockets on the occasion of the Sept 27 march. He urged youth across the country to come forward "for their survival and the security of their future," saying no one from abroad would come to help them. What's Next The PTI's stated timeline points to Sept 27 as the next major confrontation. Whether the march proceeds will depend on whether the party's two demands — merit-based heari