Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday declared it will hold a big public rally at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on April 9. The date carries special meaning for the party. It marks the day a no-confidence vote removed Imran Khan as prime minister in 2022. Party leaders made the announcement during a press conference in Islamabad. They also made it clear they will go to court if authorities refuse to grant permission.
PTI leaders stress peaceful protest rights
PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Junaid Akbar addressed the media. He appeared alongside KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other senior leaders. He firmly stated that the party has every right to hold a peaceful gathering. “If they stop us from holding the rally, we will protest wherever necessary,” he warned. CM Afridi added that PTI workers are political activists. He said they are not an armed group. He also accused the PML-N-led government of trying to silence Imran Khan at all costs.
The KP chief minister urged the federal government to issue a no-objection certificate without delay. He assured that PTI would handle all security and arrangements for the event on its own. Afridi also criticised the ruling coalition over rising poverty. He claimed that 45 percent of Pakistanis now live below the poverty line.
Opposition discusses broader strategy
It came shortly after a meeting between leaders of the opposition parties. The meeting was held in the chambers of the National Assembly opposition leader. Participants included PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Nasir Abbas, and NA Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai. According to sources, they discussed possible candidates in the Senate. They also discussed future plans for demonstrations.
Later on, speaking off-the-record to the media, Barrister Gohar confirmed PTI will move to the Supreme Court. This will happen if permission is not given for holding a rally in Rawalpindi. He called this a peaceful demonstration of their support for democracy and people’s rights.
The 73-year-old Imran Khan remains behind bars since August 2023. This follows various convictions that, according to his party, are politically motivated. As April 9 draws closer, politics will heat up in the capital. It will also intensify in Rawalpindi.
