Pakistan: Imran Khan's PTI to hold second phase of protest movement on August 14

Islamabad, Aug 6 (IANS) The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser has announced that the party will hold the second phase of its protest movement on August 14, the country's Independence day, to demand the release of its founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan. 

During the party's protest rally to mark the anniversary of Imran Khan's arrest in Swabi, Qaiser said, "The second phase of our protest will be on August 14, then we will go to Sindh."

Deputy Inspector General of Police Faisal Kamran said that police arrested over 240 PTI activists, with at least 122 arrested for attempting to block roads and threatening law and order in Lahore, Pakistan's leading daily 'The News International' reported. The security officials said that the remainder were arrested during overnight raids in the province. PTI spokesperson Zulfiqar Bukhari said that more than 200 party activists were arrested in Lahore.

Police also arrested PTI lawmakers, however, they were released in the evening. In a statement, the Punjab Police stated that Deputy Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Moeen Riaz Qureshi, Members of Parliament - Shoaib Amir, Iqbal Khattak, Farrukh Javed Moon, Khawaja Salahuddin and Amanullah Khan, had been released.

The arrests were made as the authorities bolstered security imposing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) — prohibiting illegal gatherings and large assemblies. Section 144 was imposed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, which houses Adiala Jail, where Imran Khan is imprisoned.

Speaking during a protest rally in Peshawar on Tuesday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur stated that people have responded to the call given by PTI founder and added that "now this protest will be held on a daily basis".

Gandapur said, "The party leadership's plan of action regarding August 13 and 14 will be announced later." He further stated, "We want the supremacy of the Constitution and law in the country and PTI founder to be released [from prison]." However, Gandapur's rally came to an abrupt end after he left without addressing party workers, prompting them to hold protest against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM.

Apart from Pakistan, a protest was held in Dallas, where Pakistan's former Deputy National Assembly speaker Qasim Khan Suri addressed overseas Pakistanis. During the protest, he said that Imran Khan was being punished for challenging the status quo. Suri also reiterated PTI's stance that people's mandate were stolen in the elections held in 2024 and the party was being targetted through political victimization.

--IANS

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