Former Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on Friday that he decided to postpone the PTI’s August 22 rally due to concerns over potential unrest.
Speaking from Adiala Jail, Khan explained, “I was informed about protests by religious parties related to the Finality of Prophethood issue, which raised fears of unrest spreading.
Consequently, I instructed Azam Swati and Barrister Gohar Khan to delay the rally.”
The PTI had initially planned to hold the rally in Islamabad, but reversed their decision on Thursday, citing a government “conspiracy to spread chaos.”
This last-minute change angered both supporters and some PTI leaders. The Islamabad district administration responded by declaring a holiday for government and private schools and sealing the red zone.
Additionally, metro bus services in the twin cities were suspended.
Khan warned that any attempt to obstruct the rally scheduled for September 8 would place the responsibility on the government. He expressed concerns that the government might provoke a situation similar to the “May 9” incident by clamping down on the protest rally.
Khan highlighted that a judicial inquiry into the previous May 9 incident remains pending. “If the government permits the rally but then tries to prevent it, they will be held accountable. The credibility of the judiciary is at stake,” he asserted.
Khan emphasized that the issue at hand was about democratic principles rather than military or international matters. He referenced the Hamood-ur-Rehman Commission report, suggesting that its implementation could have averted several martial laws and the current de facto martial law.
Khan characterized May 9 as an “attack on democracy” and called for a commission to prevent such occurrences in the future.
When asked about a late-night message he sent to Azam Swati, Khan chose to sidestep the question with a smile, stating, “Let’s leave that answer.”
