Markets Empty, Lives Disrupted: Islamabad Lockdown Drags On Despite No Sign Of US-Iran Talks

Last Updated:April 24, 2026, 15:47 IST

This is the second lockdown in two weeks. Islamabad was first sealed off on April 11 for the first round of talks that ended without a deal.

Islamabad has remained under tight security for nearly a week as Pakistan waits to host possible talks between the United States and Iran, even though there is still no clear sign the meeting will take place.

Key roads into the capital are shut, and a strict security ring surrounds the government district, known as the Red Zone. Nearby commercial areas are feeling the strain. Markets stand quiet, cafes are short on supplies, and bus services have been suspended, leaving many commuters unable to travel, Reuters reported.

Officials told the agency that the restrictions will stay in place. “We have been told that the talks could be held any day," one government official said, adding that authorities must be ready for delegates, including US President Donald Trump, at short notice.

This is the second lockdown in two weeks. Islamabad was first sealed off on April 11 for the first round of talks that ended without a deal between Washington and Tehran. The city briefly reopened before being shut again in anticipation of a second meeting that has yet to materialise.

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Stranded commuters, growing frustration

For residents, the uncertainty is proving difficult. Many people who usually travel home at weekends now find themselves stuck.

Rizwana Raees, 35, arrived at a bus terminal hoping to travel to Abbottabad, only to find it empty. “Sometimes the government and media say that the delegations are coming, sometimes they say they aren’t," she told Reuters. “Nobody knows… even if they come, no one will believe it till they see pictures and videos of them actually here."

Bus station manager Abdur Rehman Irshad said services have been halted for several days, affecting over 1,000 passengers daily. “People come here because it’s a popular station," he told the outlet. “But they are sent back."

(With inputs from Reuters)

News world Markets Empty, Lives Disrupted: Islamabad Lockdown Drags On Despite No Sign Of US-Iran Talks

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