Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)'s parliamentary committee has resolved to launch a nationwide protest movement beginning 5 August 2025, demanding the release of party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, according to local media reports. The date marks the completion of three years of Imran Khan's imprisonment, lending symbolic weight to the planned agitation.

Key Decisions from the PTI Meeting

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by PTI's interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PTI General Secretary Salman Akram Raja, speaking to Pakistani daily Dawn, confirmed that lawmakers settled on 5 August as the launch date for a movement that will encompass public meetings, demonstrations, and a long march.

Raja added that the opinions of Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir Abbas would be sought to finalise protest plans and related activities. Addressing a press conference separately, Gohar Ali Khan said the meeting also took stock of the health of both Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, and expressed concern over what he described as a denial of justice by the courts.

The Legal Battle: Supreme Court Petition

The protest announcement comes as Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi are fighting their convictions before Pakistan's Supreme Court. In June, the couple filed a petition challenging the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s ruling in the £190 million Al-Qadir University Project Trust corruption case, requesting suspension of their sentences pending appeal.

The IHC had in May rejected their earlier petitions seeking suspension of sentences, noting that their main appeals were already fixed for hearing, according to Pakistani daily The News International. The Supreme Court petition contends that the IHC failed to conduct even a preliminary review of evidence before rejecting the suspension plea — a step the petition argues is legally required.

Health Concerns Raised in Petition

The petition filed before the apex court raises serious concerns about the physical and mental condition of both detainees. It states that Imran Khan developed an eye condition during detention and is reportedly suffering mental stress due to solitary confinement. The petition also describes the manner of his arrest as unlawful and irresponsible, and argues that continued detention despite deteriorating health amounts to injustice.

The petition further highlights that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) repeatedly sought adjournments during the trial, allegedly prolonging the appeal process and delaying justice. It requests the Supreme Court to declare the IHC order null and void, suspend the convictions, and order the immediate release of both Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi.

Context and What Comes Next

This is not PTI's first attempt at mass mobilisation since Imran Khan's arrest. The party has previously organised protests that drew significant crowds but failed to secure his release. The 5 August date — marking a three-year milestone in custody — is a deliberate framing choice, designed to amplify public sympathy and political pressure simultaneously.

Whether Pakistan's security establishment and the ruling coalition allow the planned long march to proceed without disruption remains to be seen. The Supreme Court's response to the suspension petition could also shift the political calculus before the protests even begin.