The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) declared on Monday that it will organize a rally at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on April 9. The party cautioned that it would pursue legal measures if authorities refuse to grant permission for the event.
This rally is scheduled to coincide with the anniversary of the no-confidence motion that led to the removal of PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan in 2022. Khan, aged 73, has been imprisoned since August 2023 following convictions he and his party describe as politically motivated.
During a press conference held in Islamabad, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) president Junaid Akbar, joined by KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and other party officials, affirmed the party’s intention to hold the rally on April 9. Akbar stressed the PTI’s right to peaceful protest and warned that if the rally is blocked, demonstrations would be staged wherever necessary.
Chief Minister Afridi highlighted that PTI supporters are a political group, not an armed faction, and accused the ruling PML-N-led government of attempting to silence Imran Khan. He urged the government to issue the required non-objection certificate (NOC) for the rally, assuring that the party would handle all logistical arrangements for the gathering.
Afridi also criticized the federal administration over the country’s economic situation, noting that 45% of the population lives below the poverty line.
This announcement followed a recent meeting of opposition leaders in the National Assembly opposition leader’s chamber. The discussions reportedly covered Senate candidate selections and broader protest strategies. Attendees included PTI chief 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 stated that PTI would seek judicial intervention if permission for the Rawalpindi rally is denied. Speaking informally to the media at Parliament House, he emphasized that the rally aims to demonstrate the party’s commitment to peaceful political expression.
