ISLAMABAD — A convoy of more than 5,000 supporters of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan began a multiday march toward the capital Sunday, Oct. 4, after negotiations between Khan’s party and the federal government broke down. The march departed from Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a northwestern province where Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, holds power. Organizers planned overnight stops along the way. Sohail Afridi, the province’s chief minister and a prominent Khan supporter, is leading the procession. Protesters are calling for Khan’s release, his transfer to a hospital and permission for visits from his family. Government officials say he is in good health and receives regular family visits, but argue that meetings with him cannot be used for political purposes. The failed talks followed two rounds of negotiations, PTI chairman Gohar Khan said. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi blamed Afridi for the impasse and warned he would be held responsible if anyone died during the march. The government had urged PTI to postpone the demonstration, citing increased attacks by the Pakistani Taliban in the northwest. Authorities have set up roadblocks made from shipping containers at Islamabad’s entrances and within the city. The standoff comes as Pakistan confronts political uncertainty and a surge in militant violence. The government has accused PTI of sympathizing with the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. Khan has been imprisoned since 2023 on corruption and other charges. He and his party say the cases are politically motivated. His detention has not ended his influence: he remains a major rival to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and commands a sizable following. The march was initially planned for Sept. 27 but was delayed after PTI leaders said authorities had blocked routes toward Islamabad, including Attock Bridge, a major crossing for convoys from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Earlier demonstrations by Khan’s supporters have turned violent; during a 2024 protest, security personnel and civilians were killed. Khan, a former cricket star, was removed from office in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022. Sharif returned to office after the February 2024 election. PTI says the vote was rigged to keep it from winning; the government denies the allegation.