SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will launch a countrywide movement for constitutional and democratic rights starting August 5, senior PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser announced in a statement issued from Swabi on Sunday.
Qaiser emphasized that the movement would remain within the boundaries of law and the constitution, focusing on the violation of democratic rights in Pakistan.
He also marked August 5 as a “Black Day” in memory of PTI founder Imran Khan’s arrest two years ago. “Imran Khan’s arrest remains a symbol of the unjust treatment faced by political leaders in Pakistan,” Qaiser said, reaffirming the demand for the immediate release of Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, on bail, a right he called both constitutional and legal.
Criticizing the judiciary, Qaiser claimed that courts are not independent and are functioning under government pressure. “The judiciary must act without bias, and the ongoing cases against Imran Khan must be expedited without delay,” he added.
Further, Qaiser warned against any state oppression of PTI workers, calling on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to ensure that no crackdown would take place. The PTI leader also stressed that, while the movement would remain peaceful, the party would not tolerate any provocation.
In a press conference with Shahram Khan Tarakai, Asad Qaiser reiterated that the movement would be peaceful and lawful. The PTI leadership also emphasized the importance of shifting government priorities from fertilizer procurement to education and entrepreneurship, stating this would better serve the country’s long-term development.
They also urged for the reopening of trade routes with Afghanistan to foster peace and economic stability.
Ikram Khatana, PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Social Media Head, shared details of the protest plan stating that the rally will begin at 3 PM from the Ring Road Hayatabad Toll Plaza in Peshawar, with Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur leading the procession. Other leaders will join along the route, ending at Bala Hisar Fort via Ring Road and GT Road. Gandapur and other PTI leaders will address the rally at its conclusion.
PTI has committed to maintaining peace during the protest, but warned that workers would respond to any provocation.
Meanwhile, the party is facing a widespread crackdown, with leaders going into hiding, workers reporting home raids, and several bank accounts reportedly being frozen. PTI leaders and workers allege that police across Punjab have escalated efforts to suppress the party’s protest through intimidation tactics.
Since August 1, many PTI workers have reported police officers visiting their homes and forcing them to sign affidavits pledging not to participate in the upcoming protests. These raids have caused widespread panic within the party, leading several leaders to go underground to avoid arrest. Sources within PTI claim that the “door-knocking” campaign has intensified in recent days.
In addition to physical intimidation, there have been reports of financial restrictions being imposed on PTI leadership. For instance, the bank account of Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed, a senior PTI office-bearer in Punjab, has been frozen, among other similar cases, according to party sources.
