PTI rally. Photo: Express
ISLAMABAD:
February 8 was projected by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a decisive moment to translate street power into political momentum, but despite intensive promotion as a major show of public strength and resistance, the uneven response on the ground raised new questions about the party’s mobilization capacity and policy direction.
While pockets of supporters did emerge, the overall effect fell short of expectations. More strikingly, much of the party’s top leadership remained absent from the scene. The protest, it seemed, came and went without delivering the political punch it had promised, according to political analysts observing developments.
Nevertheless, Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aain Pakistan (TTAP), in which PTI plays a key role, hailed the strike as successful. PTI Secretary General Sheikh Waqas Akram thanked people for their “massive participation in the shutdown strike”.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi echoed this assessment in a post on X, congratulating all political parties in the TTAP on “a successful strike” and calling for peaceful resistance to continue.
However, the government dismissed the protest as ineffective. The information minister said the public had rejected confrontational politics, while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said on X that the protest had “zero effect”.
But for many observers, the real test on February 8 was not turnout numbers or television images. It was whether the protest would create enough pressure to force the government and the powers-that-be to soften their hardline stance on the PTI and its jailed leader, Imran Khan.
After all, one of the protest’s stated goals was to seek his release.
‘Encouraged Government’
Many analysts believe that the protest did not produce any tangible results. On the contrary, they argue that the absence of senior PTI leadership and the relatively lackluster show may have further emboldened the government.
Senior journalist and political analyst Ehtisham Ul Haq said the protest was largely unsuccessful. Speaking to The Express Pakinomist, he said the shutter-down call “didn’t gain much traction”.
“Yes, it was said that everything would grind to a halt, gridlock, shutdowns and the government forced to its knees. It didn’t happen, so I won’t call the call a success. PTI didn’t achieve anything concrete politically,” he added.
Observers were also surprised by how the PTI and the wider opposition handled the protest, even in their traditional stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Reports indicated that Peshawar remained largely open on Sunday despite the strike call.
While a PTI rally was taking place, the absence of outspoken KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi raised eyebrows.
The party justified his absence by saying that he, as the sitting Prime Minister, was not expected to attend such gatherings. However, critics pointed out that his predecessor, Ali Amin Gandapur, had earlier led thousands of PTI supporters to Islamabad while serving as chief minister.
Political analyst Hassan Askari weighed in, calling 8 February “a very low-key affair, much less than what was expected or planned”.
“Lahore was busy with Basant celebrations and the rest of Pakistan did not fully respond. I do not expect any nationwide protests to emerge given the number of factors limiting such mobilization,” he added.
Responding to whether the PTI got anything political out of the protests, Ehtisham Ul Haq said the exercise mainly served as a signal to the government that the protests could continue if the dialogue failed.
“The bigger point is that in Pakistan and globally, change does not happen without institutional backing. History shows that when the establishment is in line, change is possible; without it, it is not. Pre-tactics alone do not work. Internationally, this government is recognized and the economy has shown some stabilization. The narrative that strikes would cripple the system and not force material concessions.”
“Overall, the PTI is headed for a dead end unless a constructive dialogue emerges. Discussions with the Prime Minister may open a way forward. The Prime Minister has said he will take up the issues through Parliament and if that happens, there may be some relief for the PTI. Otherwise, continued agitation alone is unlikely to yield success,” he said.
On the broader political outlook, Askari noted that Pakistan’s trajectory remains difficult to predict due to several moving variables.
“The government claims it wants dialogue, but its actions suggest otherwise, focusing instead on keeping the PTI under control,” he said.
He added that the PTI itself is grappling with serious organizational and leadership challenges, with senior figures and close associates either in jail or in hiding.
“This has created a crisis that prevents the party from making clear strategic decisions. As a result, it remains uncertain whether meaningful dialogue will take place and whether the government is really serious about engaging.”
Both Haq and Askari warned that the PTI needs to recalibrate its message. Persistent hostility and abuse on social media, they argued, is counterproductive.
They observed that politics is about opening doors, not repeatedly banging your head against walls. A change in approach can still create room for limited relief.
