What happened
The Peshawar High Court on 17 February 2026 ordered the immediate reopening of highways and major roads that supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had blocked across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during protests over jailed party founder Imran Khan’s health, according to Express Tribune and court reporting.
In a two-page written order, a bench of Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice Farah Jameela directed the provincial inspector general of police and the chief secretary to open the roads the same day and to submit a report to the court by the end of the day. The court also ordered action against those who had taken the law into their own hands.
Petitioners had told the court that PTI workers blocked the motorway and the GT Road for several days, disrupting movement that they said was guaranteed under Article 15 of the Constitution. Justice Anwar said the entire province had been cut off and questioned how protests could continue while the province was dealing with militancy, according to Express Tribune.
Which roads reopened
After the order, police and the district administration moved to clear the blockades. The Express Tribune reported that barriers on the Attock Bridge on the GT Road, which links Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were removed and traffic restored. Roads connecting Dera Ismail Khan to Mianwali and Chashma were also cleared, along with the M-14 motorway from Dera Ismail Khan to Islamabad, including the CPEC York toll plaza.
The Hazara Motorway, including the Havelian and Muslimabad interchanges, was cleared for traffic as well. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said the court’s directions would be implemented and that action would be taken in accordance with the law against those responsible for blocking the roads.
Why it matters
The blockades had isolated parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Punjab and other regions and stranded commuters, patients and goods traffic. The court’s intervention put the provincial administration under orders to enforce free movement while the ruling party in the province pressed its demand that Imran Khan, who has been jailed since August 2023, be moved to hospital for treatment of an eye condition. The standoff underlined how the protest movement and the security situation in the province were colliding on the same roads.
Sources & reporting notes
This report is based on published reporting on the Peshawar High Court order. Sources were reviewed on 17 February 2026.
- The Express Tribune — "Police open K-P's major roads, disperse PTI protesters after PHC order"17 February 2026 · Reports the court order, the routes reopened including Attock Bridge, the M-14 and Hazara Motorway, and IGP Zulfiqar Hameed's response.
- DNA News — "PHC orders immediate reopening of roads blocked by PTI protesters"17 February 2026 · Covers the two-page order, the bench, the Article 15 argument and the fifth day of PTI protests.
