Rawalpindi/Lahore:
Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaf (PTI) staged protests across the country on Tuesday to mark the second anniversary of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s detention, in the midst of crashes and roadblocks.
However, the local administration in Rawalpindi largely succeeded in preventing PTI and opposition leaders from holding a protest outside of Adiala prison and only a handful of people could get close to the facility where IMRAN was changed in September 2023 and has been withheld since.
The protests were held in response to an invitation of Imran Khan himself, who through party channels had called for peaceful resistance to what he called the erosion of democratic norms.
“The movement, which begins on August 5, continues until democracy is restored in its true spirit,” read a message attributed to the former prime minister.
In response to the call, PTI -supporters staged demonstrations and are competing nationwide, described by PTI as part of a national movement to restore democracy. The protests drew significant turnout despite sweeping security measures, mass arrests and a heavy police outbreak, especially in Punjab.
The most intense crash unfolded in Punjab, where police moved quickly to prevent large assemblies. In Lahore, police launched the night over attacks withheld scores by PTI workers.
While police claimed about 30 arrests for the illegal assembly and road blockades, PTI’s officials insisted that the actual number was significantly higher, estimating at least 300 detentions, including activists picked up during the night.
PTI Punjab Media Head Shayan Bashir said more than 200 separate attacks were performed in front of the demonstrations. Many of the detainees were reportedly released after the signing of bail.
According to Reuters, nearly 120 arrests were made under attack overnight and early Tuesday, with the rest that occurred during protests in Lahore.
“Free Imran Khan!” Chaned about 200 supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-In-Insaf party outside a Lahore Law Building, while smaller groups arranged protests across the city.
Deputy Inspector of Police Faisal Kamran told Reuters that nearly three dozen activists trying to block roads were among the arrested. The party’s spokesman Zulficar Bukhari claimed that over 200 activists were detained in Lahore alone.
Among the arrested were several sitting members of the Punjab assembly. Deputy opposition leader Moin Qureshi was taken into custody during a protest with MPA’s Farukh Javed Moon, Col (Retd) Shoaib Amir, Nadeem Sadiq Dogar, Khawaja Salahuddin, Aminullah Khan and Iqbal Khattak.
PTI officials claimed police used batons to attack legislators’ vehicles, broke windows and assaulted members during the crash.
Video footage of the 80 -year -old party leader Rehana Dar was forcibly withheld Drew condemnation from across party lines and became viral on social media. PTI felt the action “a shameful sight” and accused the Punjab government of using “fascist tactics” to crush the dissent.
Authorities invoked section 144 to prohibit public gatherings in key city centers, including Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Access to Adiala prison was limited, with heavy safety and road closures in place, and party leaders’ call for a protest near the prison proved to be ineffective.
Only Senator Humayun Mohmand, Mna Maulana Naseem Ali Shah and Mna Sajid Khan Mohmand reached the Dahgal checkpoint on Adiala Road, where police prevented them from moving on.
Among the six leaders planned to meet the PTI founder, only the party’s spokesman Niazullah Niazi succeeded in reaching Gate 5 in prison, but police immediately instructed him to leave.
Imran’s three sisters also tried to visit him via the Chakri exchange on the highway, but was stopped by a heavy police presence from moving on towards Adiala prison. Two lawyers, Shamsa Kayani and Owais Younis, reached the Gorakhpur checkpoint, but were also prevented from moving on.
Meanwhile, party leaders Salman Akram Raja, Latif Khosa and Mehmood Khan Achakzai were stopped at a checkpoint near a private housing community close to Adiala Road.
A few female PTI workers gathered at the Dahgal checkpoint and sang slogans, but PTI could not mount any significant presence in Rawalpindi or near Adiala Prison as local leaders and workers remained largely absent due to fear of arrests.
In Islamabad, MPs from PTI staged a protest outside the House of Parliament. The demonstration was led by Chief Whip Aamir Dogar. Before the PTI legislators could travel to Adiala Prison, a heavy police quota surrounded the House of Parliament and its main gate was closed.
PTI members held a press conference inside the House of Parliament, where they strongly criticized the arrest of the PTI founder, the ruling political situation and the state institutions.
However, despite a shutdown, demonstrations took place in several cities and districts across Punjab, including Sialkot, Okara, Kasur, Muzaffarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali, Mandi Bahauddin, Layyah, Toba Tek Singh, Khanewal and Narowal.
In Lahore, large crowds gathered along Canal Road, led by PTI leaders Chaudhry Asghar Gujjar, Malik Usman Hamza Awan and Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed. In Rawalpindi, PTI Youth Wing activists brought a demonstration led by Raja Saqib Ali and Shuja Abbasi.
In Okara, a major demonstration was arranged by District President Chaudhry Saleem Sadiq and Secretary -General Chaudhry Abdul Rehman Tariq, while Sardar Dawood Aslam Dogar LED demonstrations called for Khan’s release.
In other cities, PTI is mobilized through local party offices and draws crowds that included youth groups, lawyers and unions. In Toba Tek Singh, PTI’s main organizer Aliya Hamza called on citizens and legal professionals to gather. Reports indicated that her vehicle was attacked by police while trying to participate in a protest.
In Mandi Bahauddin, Begum Kausar Muhammad Khan Bhatti and Liaqat Ali Bhatti led a rally, while Layyah’s PTI youth wing held a protest in Chowk Azam. In Narowal, a Labor Wing Motorcycle Rally required Khan’s release.
PTI’s legal wing was also mobilized. Lawyers staged protests outside Lahore High Court and other judicial venues and declared allegiance to Khan and pledged legal assistance to arrested activists.
According to the Insaf Legal Forum’s Lahore President Malik Shujaat Jandran, three teams were stationed by key courts throughout the city to provide bail support.
As the day unfolded, tensions continued between law enforcement and protesters escalating. PTI officials accused police of harassing his media team and raiding residence and office in Shayan Bashir.
The party’s chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan reiterated that the protests were held on the direct instructions from Imran Khan and would continue until his release. “We will not rest until we secure the former prime minister’s release,” he said.
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Acram also issued a strongly word statement that condemned the hybrid regime to free up a terrorist period by inserting “Gullu Butts” against peaceful protesters.
He also greeted the courage of Pakistanis, “who has risen nationwide in response to their unlawfully imprisoned leaders’ calls – to tread the regime’s brutal crash and an unprecedented state barbarity that has turned new depths of oppression.”
With input from Reuters
