Protests to continue for PTI on August 14, according to Asad Qaiser
In a significant development, Asad Qaiser, a senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has announced that the second phase of the party's protest movement will take place on Pakistan's Independence Day, August 14.
The focus of the protests will shift from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where military operations, according to Qaiser, have ended, and civilian control has been restored. Qaiser made this claim during discussions about Imran Khan's incarceration and the PTI's response.
Reports suggest that while in prison, Khan was offered deals that included proposals to step back from politics and/or to go into exile in exchange for his release. These claims are based on statements made by PTI figures and media coverage, and it should be noted that they present the offers as what was reportedly proposed, not independently verified government admissions.
The second phase of the PTI-led protest will commence in Peshawar and will be held daily, as announced by the Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur. The specific plans for August 13 and 14 are yet to be announced.
The protests have been marked by several arrests and incidents. In Lahore alone, over 200 activists were detained, and at least 122 activists were arrested for blocking roads and threatening law and order. Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was imposed in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to bar illegal gatherings and large assemblies.
The police also arrested several PTI lawmakers, but they were released in the evening. At least seven members of the Punjab Assembly were arrested in Lahore.
A protest rally led by CM Gandapur in Peshawar abruptly ended when he left without addressing party workers, prompting them to protest against their own CM.
The PTI has maintained its stance that the people's mandate was stolen in the February 2022 elections and that the party is being targeted through political victimization. This perspective was reiterated by Qasim Khan Suri, former Deputy NA speaker, during a protest in Dallas, US, where he spoke to overseas Pakistanis.
Suri emphasized that Khan is being punished for challenging the status quo. He also stated that the party will approach international courts if military operations are initiated in the province. After August 14, the protest will move to Sindh.
Asad Qaiser revealed that Khan was offered several locations, including Bani Gala and Nathia Gali, while in prison, as well as the possibility of leaving the country. Imran Khan had explicitly instructed Ali Amin Gandapur, the CM of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to prevent any military operations in the province.
Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada provided additional input to this article.
- The second phase of the PTI's protest movement, focusing on politics and policy-and-legislation, will continue after Independence Day, August 14, with daily protests in Peshawar as announced by Ali Amin Gandapur, the CM of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The specific plans for August 13 and 14 are yet to be announced.
- The PTI has accused the government of political victimization and maintaining that the people's mandate was stolen during the February 2022 elections. Qasim Khan Suri, former Deputy NA speaker, reiterated this perspective while speaking to overseas Pakistanis in Dallas, USA.
- In addition to the ongoing protests, there have been reports of crime-and-justice issues, with over 200 activists detained in Lahore, at least 122 activists arrested for blocking roads and threatening law and order, and Section 144 of the CrPC imposed to bar illegal gatherings and large assemblies in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
