Barricades are up, Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and over 300 PTI activists have been arrested in midnight raids as the Pakistani establishment is bracing for fresh protests demanding Imran Khan’s release.
With the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staging nationwide protests to mark two years of its founder’s imprisonment on August 5, 2023, security has been beefed up outside Adiala Jail with the deployment of 4,000 personnel, where the former prime minister is lodged.
The government in the twin-cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad has banned gatherings of four or more people, from August 5 to 10.
PTI NATIONWIDE PROTEST
The PTI announced protests across Pakistan and among the diaspora in the US and Europe to demand the release of Imran Khan, who has completed two years in jail after being arrested in the Toshakhana case for illegally selling state gifts. The party claims his detention is politically motivated, citing his ousting through a no-confidence vote in 2022 and alleged election rigging in 2024.
Khan is also facing pending trials in alleged terrorism cases related to the May 9, 2023, riots.
The PTI supporters, rallying under the banner of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan, have mobilised in cities like Lahore and Buner, chanting slogans and waving party flags.
Meanwhile, the PTI claimed that over 300 of its activists have been detained in Lahore alone, with police raids targeting party leaders’ homes to curb the movement.
HIGH SECURITY IN RAWALPINDI, SECTION 144 OF CRPC IMPOSED
In response, authorities have fortified Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and have imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, which bans gatherings of four or more people, from August 5 to 10, reported Geo News.
With over 4,000 police personnel deployed and riot management units stationed around Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, security has been tightened.
On Tuesday, Lahore police detained more than 30 PTI activists after they took to the streets demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, reported the Karachi-based Dawn.
Safe City cameras and patrolling teams have been deployed in big cities to monitor potential unrest, with the police vowing strict enforcement to maintain public order.
Islamabad’s deputy commissioner warned of immediate arrests for violations.
The federal government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has accused the PTI of fostering chaos, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi previously warning of “extreme measures” against protesters.
Meanwhile, the PTI has been alleging foul play by the army establishment, led by Chief Asim Munir, in collusion with the “puppet government” to suppress its influence, a charge both the military and the government deny.
Since Imran Khan’s arrest on August 5, 2023, in the Toshakhana case, the former Pakistani Prime Minister has been imprisoned in Adiala Jail, with the PTI alleging his detention is politically motivated following his 2022 ousting via a no-confidence vote.
The PTI over the last two years has repeatedly mobilised street protests to secure the release of Khan. In November 2024, PTI launched a march to the capital city of Islamabad, calling it the “final call” for Khan’s release. However, law enforcement dispersed the protesters, with PTI claiming 12 members were killed by security forces in the clashes.
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