Will Imran Khan's PTI Launch the Next Phase of Protests on August 14?

Islamabad, Aug 6 (NationPress) The leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Asad Qaiser, has declared that the party is set to initiate the second phase of its protest movement on August 14, coinciding with the nation’s Independence Day, to advocate for the release of its founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

During a protest rally commemorating the anniversary of Imran Khan's arrest in Swabi, Qaiser remarked, "This second phase of our protest will take place on August 14, after which we will proceed to Sindh."

According to reports from 'The News International', Deputy Inspector General of Police Faisal Kamran stated that over 240 PTI supporters were detained, with at least 122 apprehended for attempting to obstruct roads and disrupt public order in Lahore. Security officials indicated that the remaining arrests occurred during overnight operations across the province. PTI spokesperson Zulfiqar Bukhari confirmed that more than 200 party members were detained in Lahore.

Some PTI lawmakers were also taken into custody but were released later that evening. The Punjab Police issued a statement affirming that Deputy Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Moeen Riaz Qureshi and other Members of Parliament—including Shoaib Amir, Iqbal Khattak, Farrukh Javed Moon, Khawaja Salahuddin, and Amanullah Khan—had been freed.

The arrests were executed as authorities heightened security measures by enforcing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits illegal gatherings and large assemblies. This section was enforced in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, where Adiala Jail is located, the current detention site of Imran Khan.

Speaking at a protest rally in Peshawar on Tuesday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur remarked that the public has heeded the call from PTI's founder, asserting that "this protest will now occur daily."

Gandapur added, "The leadership's strategy concerning August 13 and 14 will be revealed later." He further emphasized the desire for the supremacy of the Constitution and the release of PTI's founder from imprisonment. However, Gandapur's address abruptly concluded as he departed without speaking to party workers, leading to protests against him by party supporters.

In addition to events in Pakistan, a demonstration took place in Dallas, where former Deputy National Assembly speaker Qasim Khan Suri addressed overseas Pakistanis. He stated that Imran Khan is being punished for challenging the existing political landscape. Suri reiterated PTI's position that the public's vote was compromised in the 2024 elections and that the party is being subjected to political victimization.