PTI
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that it will avoid any confrontation or unrest on February 8, the first anniversary of the 2024 general elections. Instead, the party will hold a rally exclusively in Swabi while staging protests at the tehsil and union council levels.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, speaking to the media in Islamabad, emphasized that the party had no intention of inciting chaos or engaging in conflicts. He clarified that PTI’s decision to limit the rally to Swabi was a strategic move aimed at maintaining peace and avoiding direct confrontation with authorities.
Initially, PTI had sought permission to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on February 8. However, the deputy commissioner rejected the request, citing security concerns and logistical challenges.
The official stated that Lahore was set to host several significant events on the same day, including a cricket match, an international speaker conference, and a horse and cattle show.
With thousands of security personnel already deployed for these events, the government determined that allowing a political rally could pose risks to public order.
Ahead of PTI’s planned demonstrations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, authorities have imposed restrictions on government officials and police personnel, barring them from participating in political gatherings. The provincial police have been instructed to avoid facilitating any such events.
Despite these restrictions, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has vowed to stage a large-scale protest on February 8, which PTI is observing as “Black Day.”
He reiterated his commitment to securing the release of PTI founder Imran Khan, asserting that he had previously overcome obstacles to reach D-Chowk for the same cause. Gandapur also made it clear that any future negotiations with the government would only take place under the directives of Imran Khan.
PTI has been vocal in its criticism of the 2024 general elections, alleging widespread rigging that resulted in what the party describes as the theft of its mandate.
Following failed negotiations with the government, PTI announced protest rallies to challenge the legitimacy of the polls.
The party had initially engaged in talks with the ruling coalition but withdrew from the process after the government failed to establish a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots and the November 2024 protests, key demands outlined in PTI’s charter.
The dialogue between PTI and the PML-N-led government had commenced in late December following months of heightened political tensions. However, PTI leaders have since expressed frustration, claiming that their willingness to engage in dialogue was misinterpreted as weakness.
PTI KP President Junaid Akbar warned that the party would intensify its agitation against the ruling coalition if its concerns continued to be ignored.
In recent months, PTI has organized several demonstrations, with many resulting in heavy crackdowns. Last year, the party’s rallies and power shows in Islamabad led to widespread arrests of party workers and legal cases against its leadership.
As the political climate remains tense, PTI’s decision to hold its main rally in Swabi reflects a strategic approach to avoid direct confrontation while keeping its protest movement alive.
