Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. SCREENGRAB
PESHAWAR:
The PTI on Wednesday staged protests across the country to mark the third anniversary of former prime minister Imran Khan’s incarceration, while the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister announced the party would converge on Islamabad on September 27 if restrictions on the jailed PTI founder, including limits on meetings and treatment, were not lifted.
Addressing a public gathering in Peshawar, K-P CM Sohail Afridi said the PTI’s demands were constitutional and included unrestricted meetings with Imran, access to treatment by his personal physician and expeditious hearings of court cases against him.
“If these demands are not met, we will march on Islamabad on September 27,” he declared.
He said protests had been held throughout Pakistan to mark the completion of three years of Khan’s imprisonment, claiming the PTI founder could secure his release with “a single signature” but was enduring imprisonment for the sake of the country, its people and future generations.
Afridi said the party had lost hope in the courts after the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments, alleging that courts had been rendered ineffective. He accused the authorities of responding to PTI protests with bullets and chemical-laced water and questioned what offence Imran was punished for.
PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan told the gathering that three years of Imran’s “unjust imprisonment” had been completed. He described the Peshawar event as the party’s tenth public meeting since the general elections and said there would be no larger gathering until Imran was released.
In Quetta, protests were organised on the call of TTAP chief and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai. A rally began from the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s (PkMAP) central secretariat before culminating in a public meeting at Bacha Khan Chowk.
The gathering was addressed by PkMAP Secretary General Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, BNP Vice President Sajid Tareen Advocate and PTI Balochistan General Secretary Jahangir Rind. The speakers demanded the release of Imran Khan and all political prisoners, alleging that the PTI’s mandate in the February 8, 2024 elections had been usurped through manipulation and “Form-47”.
In Lahore, one of the largest demonstrations was held outside Aiwan-e-Adl, where members of the Insaf Lawyers Forum, senior PTI leaders Salman Akram Raja, Ali Aijaz Buttar, Rehan Dar and Shaukat Basra led a rally demanding Khan’s immediate release.
Lawyers, party leaders and supporters gathered on Upper Mall, chanting slogans in favour of Khan and calling for the withdrawal of what they described as politically motivated cases against the former prime minister. Party leaders said peaceful demonstrations were being held across the country and vowed to continue the campaign until Khan’s release.
In Karachi, PTI supporters held a protest near the Karachi Press Club, causing traffic disruptions after authorities blocked roads leading to the venue. Police detained several PTI workers and leaders and used tear gas and baton charges to disperse protesters before reopening the roads later in the day.
The PTI said similar demonstrations were organised in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Umerkot, Mithi and other parts of Sindh, where participants also demanded Khan’s release. (WITH INPUT FROM SHOAIB RAISANI & IMRAN ADNAN)
