PTI to launch nationwide mobilisation with ‘massive’ Karachi rally in November

• Barrister Salman Akram Raja announces start of public engagement drive from Karachi
• Says mass rallies planned across major cities, including Hyderabad, to demand Imran Khan’s release
• Imran’s message from jail: keep faith, truth will prevail, says Salman Raja

KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday announced that it would hold a “massive public rally” in Karachi next month to kick off a nationwide public engagement campaign aimed at mobilising supporters and renewing calls for the release of party founder Imran Khan.

The announcement came during PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja’s visit to Karachi, where he held detailed discussions with party leaders on the prevailing political situation, the legal strategy for Imran’s release, and the reorganisation of the party’s provincial structure.

According to a statement issued by the party, Raja met PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh, Parliamentary Leader Shabbir Qureshi, and senior leader Jamal Siddiqui. The leaders discussed political developments, the state of party affairs in Sindh, and upcoming mass contact activities.

Speaking to the media after the meetings, Raja said that a “massive public rally will be held in Karachi in November,” followed by large gatherings in Hyderabad and other major cities across Pakistan. The rallies, he said, would form part of a countrywide public engagement drive to reconnect with the masses and demand justice for Imran Khan.

“The entire party stands united and mobilised for Imran Khan’s release,” Raja asserted, describing the upcoming campaign as the beginning of a “political renewal” within the PTI.

He announced that Mahmood Khan Achakzai had been nominated as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Raja Nasir Abbas as Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and Sohail Afridi as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—appointments he said reflected “PTI’s organisational revival and growing parliamentary assertiveness.”

“We stand firm for the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law,” the PTI secretary general said, adding that all “fabricated cases” against the party founder were collapsing in courts. “Delaying tactics are being used to obstruct justice, but these baseless cases will soon be over.”

Raja also relayed a message from Imran Khan, who remains incarcerated at Adiala Jail, urging party members and the public to remain steadfast. “Patron-in-Chief Imran Khan has called on the people to keep faith in Allah Almighty—victory always belongs to truth,” he said. “He has directed the party to hold rallies nationwide to raise awareness against injustice and oppression.”

Turning to Sindh’s political situation, Raja strongly criticised the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), accusing it of presiding over “17 years of decay, corruption, and misgovernance.” He said cities across Sindh—from Karachi to the interior—were suffering from administrative collapse, lawlessness, and lack of basic services.

“From Karachi to Khairpur, one sees scenes of desolation and hopelessness,” he remarked. “Rampant corruption has plundered Sindh’s public resources, but the people are now awake. Wherever we went, we witnessed overwhelming support for Imran Khan. The people of Sindh want change—they want a leader who is honest, brave, and dedicated to the nation.”

Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023, is currently serving a sentence in the £190 million corruption case and faces multiple pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the May 9 protests. The PTI has consistently raised concerns about the restrictions on his family, friends, and legal team from meeting him.

Last week, the party claimed that Imran had offered to help mediate Pakistan’s recent tensions with Afghanistan and address broader regional issues if granted parole. Earlier this month, PTI leaders also alleged that the party founder was being moved from Adiala Jail to an undisclosed location to limit his access to legal counsel.

With its Karachi rally next month, PTI appears set to re-energise its grassroots base after months of internal regrouping and political pressure. The party has termed the upcoming campaign a “movement for justice,” signalling its intent to return to the streets and reclaim political space ahead of a turbulent winter political season.