PTI Announces Second Phase of Protest Movement on August 14

Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi — where Imran Khan is incarcerated — was under tight security.

By DTD- On Aug 6, 2025

ISLAMABAD, Aug 6, 2025 — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that the second phase of its protest movement will be held on August 14 — Pakistan’s Independence Day — as part of its ongoing campaign demanding the release of party founder Imran Khan, who remains imprisoned since August 2023.

Addressing a crowd in Swabi on Tuesday night, PTI senior leader and former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser confirmed that after the August 14 demonstrations, the party would shift its protest focus to Sindh. “We will not allow military operations in our province,” Qaiser added, claiming that PTI-ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will resist such moves and may even approach international courts.

Qaiser also claimed that Imran Khan had been offered various options in jail — including relocating to Bani Gala, Nathia Gali, or even leaving the country — but he had refused.

The nationwide protests, which marked the second anniversary of Khan’s incarceration, witnessed a heavy police crackdown. According to Lahore Deputy Inspector General of Police Faisal Kamran, over 240 PTI supporters were arrested. Of those, 122 were detained in Lahore for allegedly blocking roads and threatening public order, while others were picked up in overnight raids across Punjab.

At least seven members of the Punjab Assembly were also arrested in Lahore, including Deputy Opposition Leader Moeen Riaz Qureshi and MPs Farrukh Javed Moon, Khawaja Salahuddin, Shoaib Amir, Amanullah Khan, and Iqbal Khattak. However, Punjab police later confirmed their release by Tuesday evening. Prominent PTI figure Rehana Dar, who was detained near Aiwan-e-Adal, was also released.

Security was heightened across major cities with Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) imposed in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and other urban centers to prevent large gatherings. Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi — where Imran Khan is incarcerated — was under tight security.

In Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur addressed a rally, stating that protests would now take place daily. “The people have responded to Imran Khan’s call,” he said. Gandapur added that a formal plan for protests on August 13 and 14 would be announced soon. However, his rally ended abruptly after he left without addressing party workers, triggering backlash from attendees.

Protests also extended overseas. In Dallas, USA, former Deputy National Assembly Speaker Qasim Khan Suri addressed a gathering of overseas Pakistanis, claiming that Khan was being punished for challenging the country’s political elite. Suri reiterated PTI’s stance that the 2024 general elections were rigged and that the party continues to face political victimisation.

With tensions escalating and arrests mounting, PTI’s renewed protest push sets the stage for another showdown with authorities in the days leading up to Independence Day.