Pakistan's PTI Begins March to Islamabad After Government Talks Fail

Pakistan's political crisis intensifies as the PTI's largest mobilization in nearly two years tests government authority and security capacity. Road closures to Islamabad, prior violence at PTI protests, and recent attacks on provincial ministers (one assassination attempt, one abduction) create measurable risks of escalation. The march directly challenges the legitimacy of the February 2024 election results and the authority of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government, with hundreds of thousands expected to participate. Outcomes will affect political stability, security operations, detention policy toward Imran Khan, and the broader pattern of civil-military dynamics in Pakistan.