Last Updated on September 26, 2026 by YeJahan
YEJAHAN REPORT
ISLAMABAD (Sept 22): Major transport arteries connecting Pakistan’s federal capital are likely to face disruption as authorities have ordered a sweeping shutdown of the motorway network a full four days ahead of a planned protest by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.
The pre-emptive travel bans, which threaten to paralyse commuters and critical freight corridors across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, represent a significant escalation in security measures aimed at isolating Islamabad from potential demonstrators.
اطلاع! pic.twitter.com/bohp45EffU
— National Highways & Motorway Police (NHMP) (@NHMPofficial) September 22, 2026
Under an official advisory issued by the Islamabad Police, the M-1 motorway connecting Peshawar to the capital will be closed to all forms of transit from 11:00 PM on September 23 until further notice. Traffic officials have urged the public in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as outlying districts, to abandon non-essential travel plans along the northern route and adhere strictly to emergency guidance.
Simultaneously, severe restrictions are set to hit the M-2 motorway linking Lahore to Islamabad. Motorway Police confirmed that heavy commercial transport and cargo trucks destined for the capital will be barred from entry starting Wednesday.
In a logistical bid to prevent a total gridlock on the principal tollways, central region spokesman Syed Imran Ahmed announced that heavy goods vehicles already travelling along the M-2 and M-3 networks will be forcibly diverted onto the Grand Trunk (GT) Road at Kala Shah Kaku. Truck drivers are being instructed to use the older highway as a slow-moving alternative route.
Highway authorities have made an urgent appeal to all road users to verify route availability before starting their journeys, warning that extensive disruption and delays are inevitable as police checkpoints are deployed across the network. Copyright YeJahan News Network, 2026
