ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Thursday it had received permission from the administration in the federal capital to hold a rally this week, hoping that the approval would not be revoked as had happened twice in recent weeks.
Last month, the chief commissioner of Islamabad disallowed the PTI from holding a planned rally on Aug. 22 due to what he cited as security threats and a lack of resources available with security agencies. The rally was initially planned for July to build pressure for Khan’s release from prison following his arrest over a year ago, but the party rescheduled it for Aug. 22.
“District administration Islamabad issues permission to hold political gathering for PTI,” the party said in a statement shared with media, in which it also sent the approval letter by the district magistrate in Islamabad allowing the rally to be held on Sept. 8.
“We are hopeful PTI will be allowed a peaceful gathering unlike the times in recent past when permission was revoked.”
The PTI, which wants to mobilize the public for the release of its leader, has struggled to hold rallies across the country since August last year when Khan was arrested on multiple charges and subsequently convicted in four cases, all of which have since been quashed by higher courts. New cases have been filed against Khan and he remains in prison.
The party says it is facing a state-backed crackdown and the mass arrest of its members and supporters for standing by Khan. Pakistani authorities deny the allegations.
The action against the PTI began after people carrying its party flags attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023, after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a graft case. The attacks took place a little over a year after Khan fell out with Pakistan’s powerful military, blaming the institution for colluding with his political rivals to oust him from office in a parliamentary vote in April 2022. The military rejects the allegations.
Hundreds of PTI workers and leaders were arrested following the May 9 riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
Khan recently made a “conditional” offer of talks to the army, if “clean and transparent” elections were held and the “bogus” cases against his supporters were dropped. The military, which has repeatedly said Khan and his party were behind the May 9 attacks, has ruled out any talks with him.