ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that its February 8 rally will be held exclusively in Swabi, while protests will take place at tehsil and union council levels.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja clarified that there were no plans for confrontation and that the protests would be peaceful.
The party had originally sought permission to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore, but the district administration denied the request due to security concerns and multiple events in the city, including a cricket match, an international conference, and a horse and cattle show.
Meanwhile, ahead of the Swabi rally, government officials and police personnel have been instructed to avoid participation in political gatherings.
Gandapur Calls for Full-Scale Protest
KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced a major protest on February 8, vowing to push for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
He stated that negotiations with the government would only proceed under Imran Khan’s directives.
PTI has been protesting alleged rigging in the 2024 general elections and has ended talks with the government after failing to secure a judicial commission to investigate the May 9 riots and November 2024 protests.
PTI KP President Junaid Akbar warned that the party’s willingness to negotiate should not be mistaken for weakness.
The party has staged multiple protests in recent months, with past demonstrations in Islamabad resulting in a crackdown against its leadership and supporters.
