LAHORE – Over 200 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers have been detained in Lahore ahead of party’s planned nationwide protest on August 5. The protest marks what PTI has termed a “Black Day,” commemorating one year since the arrest of party leader and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The arrests were carried out across multiple neighborhoods, with some individuals later released on surety bonds. However, operations remain ongoing, with authorities conducting “door-knocking” raids to detain additional activists.
The crackdown comes amid PTI’s strategic shift from a centralised protest in Islamabad to localised demonstrations across provinces, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The party cancelled its main rally in the capital but vowed to continue mobilising public support through decentralised events.
Imran Khan’s party organised district-level rallies. Provincial Minister for Higher Education, Meena Khan, stated that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur will lead the central protest in Peshawar. Convoys from Mardan, Swabi, and Nowshera are expected to join at the Swabi Interchange before moving toward the historic Bala Hissar Fort via Peshawar’s Ring Road.
KP CM Gandapur said August 5 would witness largest rally in Pakistan’s history, aiming to send a strong message to the federal government.
Law enforcement agencies are also reportedly seeking several senior opposition leaders, including the chairman of the Sunni Ittehad Council and other prominent parliamentarians.
Party insiders revealed that PTI has planned demonstrations at the constituency level for both national and provincial assemblies. If the August 5 protests fail to generate significant momentum, the campaign may extend through to August 14, Pakistan’s Independence Day.
