The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday announced it will hold a rally at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on April 9, warning that it would pursue legal action if permission for the event is denied.
The date of the rally coincides with the anniversary of the no-confidence vote in 2022 that removed PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan from office.
Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023 following convictions that he and his party describe as politically motivated.Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad alongside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other party leaders, PTI KP President Junaid Akbar said the party would proceed with the rally, stressing its constitutional right to hold peaceful protests.
He warned that if authorities blocked the gathering, the party would stage protests wherever necessary.Addressing the media, Chief Minister Afridi said PTI workers are a “political force” rather than an “armed mob,” and accused the ruling PML-N-led government of attempting to silence the party’s founder.
He also urged the government to issue a non-objection certificate (NOC) for the rally, adding that PTI would independently manage all arrangements for the event.Afridi criticised the federal government over the country’s economic situation, claiming that nearly 45% of the population is living below the poverty line.
The press conference followed a meeting of opposition leaders held in the chamber of the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly.According to sources, the meeting focused on Senate candidates and broader protest strategies.
It was attended by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Secretary General Salman Akram Raja, Senate Opposition Leader Allama Nasir Abbas, and National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai.After the meeting, Barrister Gohar said PTI would approach the courts if authorities refused permission for the Rawalpindi rally.
In an informal conversation with journalists at Parliament House, he added that the rally is intended to demonstrate the party’s commitment to peaceful political activity.