The federal government on Saturday rejected misleading reports regarding road closures across Islamabad ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) planned October 4 long march. Authorities stated that containers were placed in the federal capital strictly as a precaution.

The rebuttal followed an Al Jazeera report that 1,500 to 2,000 shipping containers were seized by the government to barricade capital roads ahead of the demonstration. The Imran Khan-founded PTI had previously postponed its planned long march toward the federal capital from September 27 to October 4.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi previously stated the government would adopt a permanent strategy to handle the march, warning the country cannot remain shut for 10 to 20 days. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a fact-check statement noting the containers comply with Islamabad High Court directions to protect citizens' lives, property, and lawful movement.