Pakistan’s PTI stages nationwide demonstrations demanding Imran Khan’s release as crackdown intensifies across Punjab and beyond.
Islamabad, August 6, 2025 : On the second anniversary of Imran Khan’s arrest, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held protest rallies across the country Tuesday, calling for the former prime minister’s release from Adiala Jail. The demonstrations, mostly peaceful but met with heavy crackdowns, led to over 500 arrests, primarily in Punjab province.
Khan, now 72, was arrested on August 5, 2023, after being convicted in a high-profile corruption case. Since then, he has remained incarcerated, facing multiple legal challenges, and his party claims he has been denied basic human rights — including access to his legal team and most political allies.
Crackdown in Punjab
PTI spokesperson Zulfi Bukhari accused the ruling coalition of trying to suppress dissent, claiming that police “raided homes,” “damaged cars with party flags,” and imposed blanket bans on gatherings, particularly in Lahore.
“Democracy is non-existent,” Bukhari said, calling the current government a “hybrid regime”.
“We are protesting peacefully, but the government is trembling in fear.”
Police justified the arrests under Section 144, which bans the assembly of four or more individuals. A Punjab Police spokesperson stated the law was being enforced to prevent “unlawful gatherings,” but social media videos showed officers dragging elderly protestors, sparking widespread condemnation.
Among those arrested were PTI lawmakers, local leaders, and supporters, particularly in Lahore, Okara, Sheikhupura, and Jhang. Clashes were reported in several areas, with vehicles damaged and minor injuries recorded.
Prominent PTI Voices Speak Out
Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser condemned Khan’s “illegal confinement,” saying supporters would rally outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
“Khan is willing to stay in jail for 10 years for Pakistan and the rule of law,” said Qaiser, now Secretary General of a new opposition alliance.
In a symbolic gesture, PTI lawyers marched down Mall Road in Lahore, largely unimpeded by police, though other rallies faced harsher resistance.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) also saw widespread protests. KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur led a march through Peshawar, while PTI Central Chairman Barrister Gohar addressed a crowd in Buner, demanding Khan’s immediate release.
Home Raids and Police Violence
Several senior PTI leaders alleged police harassment and property damage.
- Aliya Hamza, PTI’s chief organiser in Punjab, claimed police smashed her car windscreen with clubs and injured her.
- Musarrat Jamshed Cheema posted footage of a police raid on her home, calling the government “fascist.”
“Here, the state strikes first — before any protest begins,” she said.
“Our homes are no longer safe. Democracy and human rights are dying.”
Tight Security Around Adiala Jail
Anticipating larger demonstrations in Rawalpindi, the Punjab government deployed:
- Over 4,000 police personnel
- Punjab Rangers paramilitary units
- Riot Management Force
- Red alert security around Adiala Jail
- Closure of Adiala Road to civilian traffic
The government also maintained a media blackout of PTI rallies on major TV networks, but videos from protest sites circulated widely on social media — some showing violent police crackdowns, others raising doubts about their authenticity or timing.
Calls for Dialogue Amid Political Stalemate
PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan emphasized that Pakistan’s crises cannot be solved through arrests or repression.
“Political solutions require dialogue, not jailing the opposition,” he posted on X.
The party also launched protests in parts of Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, though limited details emerged from those regions.
What’s Next?
Despite mass arrests and restrictions, PTI has vowed to keep protesting, accusing the government of trying to silence legitimate political opposition. With Khan’s continued imprisonment now stretching into its third year, his party shows no signs of backing down — and neither does the state apparatus determined to keep the streets quiet.
As political tensions mount and civil liberties shrink, Pakistan edges deeper into a prolonged constitutional and democratic crisis, with no clear resolution in sight.
