Secretary General Salman Akram Raja says demonstrations will take place across tehsils and union councils
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has confirmed that its February 8 rally will be held exclusively in Swabi, while protests will be staged at tehsil and union council levels.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja stated that while Swabi would host the central rally, demonstrations would be organized at various local levels. He emphasized that the party’s plans did not involve confrontation or disorder.
PTI had initially sought permission to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan, but authorities turned down the request. The deputy commissioner cited security concerns, highlighting major events in Lahore on the same day, including a cricket match, an international conference, and a horse and cattle show. Officials stated that security forces were already deployed for these events, making it unfeasible to approve the rally.
Ahead of the planned gathering in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, government employees, including police officers, have been prohibited from attending political rallies. Provincial law enforcement has also been directed to avoid involvement in such events.
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has vowed a large-scale protest on “Black Day” tomorrow, reiterating his commitment to securing PTI founder Imran Khan’s release. He recalled overcoming previous hurdles to reach D.Chowk for Khan’s cause and made it clear that future negotiations with the government would be conducted only under Khan’s directives.
PTI’s call for protests follows the breakdown of its talks with the government over the 2024 elections, which the party and other opposition groups claim were marred by rigging and electoral manipulation. The negotiations collapsed after the government declined to establish a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots and the November 2024 protests, key demands in PTI’s charter.
Discussions between PTI and the PML-N-led government had begun in late December after months of political unrest. However, PTI KP President Junaid Akbar warned that the ruling coalition misinterpreted the party’s willingness to negotiate as a sign of weakness.
In recent months, PTI has frequently taken to the streets. Last year, its demonstrations in Islamabad triggered a government crackdown, with party leaders and workers facing legal action.
