ISLAMABAD – Opposition parties are calling on masses to join nationwide strike and a bold Jail Bharo movement from February 8. From Rawalpindi rallies to citywide protests, leaders are vowing to make the day a Black Day, turning the spotlight on what they describe as stolen mandate in 2024 polls.
Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) is gearing up for high-profile “Jail Bharo Tehreek”, while Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) announced massive public rally in Rawalpindi. TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai warned that protest, marking second anniversary of elections, would go ahead “under any circumstances.” He urged citizens to enforce a complete shutdown nationwide and hinted at a court-arrest campaign as part of the movement.
Achakzai’s announcement came during key leadership meeting attended by senior figures including Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Zubair Umar, Asad Qaiser, Dr Ammar Ali Jan, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai, and Advocate Khalid Chaudhry.
The meeting resolved to declare February 8 a Black Day, with a nationwide strike and the formation of 10 committees at international, national, and provincial levels to ensure the protest’s success. Leaders described the day as a national humiliation, claiming the public had been denied its democratic right to choose representatives.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that his party would stage massive rally in Rawalpindi, condemning the alleged rigging. Party spokesperson Hafiz Ziaullah said Rehman would address the gathering, calling the 2024 elections “an attack on the public mandate” and vowing to reject the resulting government through public mobilisation.
Preparations are already in full swing, with party workers instructed to secure maximum participation. The rally venue, initially suggested near the old airport, will be finalised after a party meeting on January 31, followed by formal permission requests to the district administration.
Authorities face legal hurdle: Section 144, which bans public gatherings in Rawalpindi until February 6, remains in effect. Any request for permission will be reviewed by the district administration and forwarded to the Punjab government for approval.
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