Islamabad hospitals told to prep for 'mass casualty incident' ahead of PTI protest

Pakistan government has directed hospitals in Islamabad to prepare for the possibility of a “mass casualty incident” ahead of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) protest scheduled to be held on September 27. All the hospitals in the capital city have been instructed to postpone all scheduled elective surgeries indefinitely, and surgical departments were asked to remain prepared for a possible rise in patients, according to documents reviewed by Drop Site.

Officials also directed hospitals to suspend all forms of leave for the medical and support staff and asked to recall those already on leave. Following the notification, the preparations have already begun affecting patients. People said surgery procedures for patients scheduled for Monday have been postponed.

No official confirmation of the move linked to PTI protest

The government has not publicly confirmed that these preparations are specifically linked to a crackdown on PTI protesters. However, the notified documents explicitly indicated that preparations are for a potential “humanitarian crisis” and “mass casualty incident”. The development comes as officials detained former PM Imran Khan’s three sisters, Aleema Khan, Noreen Niazi and Dr Uzma Khan, along with other members of his family.

Additionally, several PTI leaders and workers were also arrested ahead of the planned march on Islamabad. Eight members of Khan’s family have been reportedly detained within 24 hours. Later, the children were released after several hours, while Khan’s sisters remained in custody. According to documents obtained by Drop Site, Aleema Khan was taken into custody under Section 3 of Pakistan's Maintenance of Public Order law, with Lahore's deputy commissioner issuing a formal order sanctioning her 30-day detention.

Comparable detention orders were also reported for Noreen Niazi and Uzma Khan. These arrests followed a broader crackdown by authorities on PTI members in the run-up to the September 27 mobilisation. According to PTI, party offices were raided and several elected representatives and workers were taken into custody nationwide. The detentions come at a time when Khan's family and supporters continue to voice concern over his health and the conditions of his imprisonment.