Imran Khan's party stage rally in Islamabad; demand his immediate release

Islamabad: Jailed former premier Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sunday held a power show, demanding his "immediate release" while slamming the government for its crackdown on the party as police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

The rally - postponed twice in the last two months - was held near Sangjani Cattle Market in the suburbs of Islamabad after the capital administration issued a no-objection certificate (NOC).

Thousands of Khan's supporters attended the rally, proving that the party's power base was intact despite several hurdles it faced, including the incarceration of its 71-year-old founder.

Khan was arrested on August 5 last year after his conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case filed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since then, he has been in jail in different cases. On Sunday, Khan completed 400 days in prison.

The rally was scheduled to end at 7 pm (local time) as per the NOC. As soon as the deadline ended, the district administration directed the police to take action against the rally-goers for not complying with the NOC.

The authorities stated that the organisers violated the rules and regulations by not concluding the gathering before the deadline.

In response to the crackdown, PTI workers began pelting stones at police, injuring many security personnel, including Senior Superintendent of Police Shoaib Khan.

"Strong turnout for PTI rally despite the state's tactics to limit numbers through roadblocks and containers, and despite the risk of violent crackdowns and arrests. Its size and popularity ensure its mobilization capabilities remain intact despite relentless attempts to curb it," Micheal Kugleman, a South Asian expert, said in a post on X.

Several PTI leaders addressed the gathering, demanding Khan's immediate release. The PTI leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, said that the party would not sit until Khan was released.

"We are soldiers of Imran Khan and will not sit until he is set free,” he said, adding that soon Khan would be with his supporters.

He condemned physical hurdles put on roads to restrict the movement of participants and also announced that the PTI would now hold rallies across the country.

It was the first major rally by the PTI in Islamabad since the February 8 elections. The party wants to exert pressure on the government to release Khan, who languishes in jail despite the courts either acquitting him or giving him bail in all cases he was convicted.

Khan has repeatedly shown a willingness to hold talks with the establishment while refusing to sit with the government. So far, all his tactics have failed to get any relief. Mass protest is an option, but his party has been facing pressure to avoid it.

Today’s rally was a test for both the government and the PTI as it will help them gauge the ground power swell for Khan and fine-tune their policies and tactics in the coming days.

Sources told PTI that the Islamabad administration put security on high alert this morning and blocked off multiple arteries leading to the capital city. Hospitals were put on alert by the administration. The Metro bus services were stopped in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Addressing the rally, former minister Hammad Azhar said the hindrance created by the rulers showed that they were afraid of Khan and his supporters.

He pointed out that most of the party's Punjab leadership is in jail, paying tribute to incarcerated leaders, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Umar Sarfraz Cheema.

Another leader Sher Afzal Marwat said they will soon hold rallies in Punjab for Khan's release and the supremacy of law and the Constitution.

"We will enter Punjab with 50,000 people from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within a week,” he said, adding that they will even set off on foot and face the tear gas.

Additional forces have been summoned to the location where the clash between the police and party workers originally started.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law the Public Order and Peaceful Assembly Bill 2024 hours before the planned rally, instituting strict measures for unauthorised gatherings.

The new law introduces penalties for holding gatherings without permission in Islamabad, with violators facing up to three years in prison and fines. Repeat offenders could be sentenced to up to 10 years in jail.