Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) poured onto streets across the country on Tuesday to mark two years since party founder and former prime minister Imran Khan was imprisoned. The demonstrations, held in defiance of mass arrests and security crackdowns, signaled the beginning of what PTI calls a nationwide movement to “restore democracy.”
Rallies erupted in major cities and towns across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and other regions, with participants demanding Khan’s release and denouncing what they termed a “fascist regime.”
In a message shared through party channels, Imran Khan called for peaceful resistance, declaring, “The movement that begins on August 5 will continue until democracy is restored in its true spirit.” PTI leaders echoed the message, portraying Khan’s incarceration as a political vendetta.
Senior leaders blocked from Adiala Jail
Police reportedly barred senior PTI leaders and Imran Khan’s family members from meeting him outside Adiala Jail. Parliamentarians Ali Muhammad Khan, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Salman Akram Raja, Latif Khosa, and Shandana Gulzar were all turned away. Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, speaking to the press at Chakri Interchange, condemned the authorities and vowed to remain at the site until allowed to meet her brother. She also claimed Imran’s children were denied visas.
Aleema compared Pakistan’s current political climate to that of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, stating, “If the public wants freedom, they must rise on their own.” Her sister Noreen Niazi also alleged police harassment and arrests of elderly supporters.
Punjab police lead sweeping crackdown
The most severe crackdown occurred in Punjab, where police launched raids ahead of planned demonstrations. In Lahore alone, PTI officials claim over 200 overnight raids were conducted, leading to at least 300 arrests—far more than the 30 reported by police.
Deputy Opposition Leader Moin Qureshi and several MPAs, including Farrukh Javed Moon, Col (retd) Shoaib Amir, Nadeem Sadiq Dogar, Khawaja Salahuddin, Aminullah Khan, and Iqbal Khattak, were among those detained. Video footage of 80-year-old PTI leader Rehana Dar being forcibly dragged by police sparked outrage across social media.
Rallies spread across cities despite Section 144
Despite the imposition of Section 144 in cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, PTI held protests in multiple districts including Sialkot, Mianwali, Okara, Kasur, Toba Tek Singh, Layyah, Khanewal, and Narowal.
In Lahore, Chaudhry Asghar Gujjar led a protest on Canal Road, while in Rawalpindi, youth activists held a rally under Raja Saqib Ali and Shuja Abbasi. District leaders in Okara, Kasur, and Mandi Bahauddin mobilised significant turnouts, with lawyers, students, and labour groups joining the demonstrations.
Legal and political resistance builds
PTI’s legal wing staged protests at courts across Lahore, pledging to assist detained workers. The party also accused police of targeting its media team and raiding the home of Shayan Bashir, PTI Punjab’s media head.
Party Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan reiterated that the protests would continue under Khan’s direction. In Peshawar, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur led a rally from Hayatabad Toll Plaza, with workers joining a mass demonstration.
Central PTI leadership blasts government crackdown
PTI’s Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram condemned what he described as a brutal campaign to silence dissent. “The Punjab police dragged an 80-year-old woman. Maryam Nawaz and IG Punjab have sunk to a new low,” he stated, accusing the government of turning state institutions into personal fiefdoms.
Waqas dismissed the government’s claim that PTI had not sought protest permissions, revealing that formal requests for rallies at Minar-e-Pakistan and Islamabad’s F-9 Park were denied outright.
He also mocked a failed PML-N corner meeting in Lahore, saying barely a few dozen people showed up despite full use of state resources. “Even those present were mostly PTI supporters who came to witness the empty chairs,” he added.
ECP disqualification sparks fresh anger
Waqas also slammed the Election Commission’s move to disqualify nine PTI lawmakers, including Shibli Faraz and Omar Ayub, calling it unconstitutional and politically driven. He warned that Pakistan was being turned into a totalitarian state and vowed continued resistance.
Asad Qaiser: ‘This is not just about Imran Khan’
In Swabi, former Speaker of the National Assembly Asad Qaiser said Imran Khan had refused multiple offers for release, including relocation or exile, standing firm on principle. Qaiser denounced ongoing corruption scandals, power outages in KP, and hinted at launching international legal action due to a lack of justice in Pakistani courts.
He confirmed that PTI’s second phase of protests would launch on August 14 from Sindh, vowing to unite the nation against the ruling elite.
