Imran Khan to Mark Feb 8 as ‘Black Day’, PTI to Stage Nationwide Protests: Omar Ayub

ISLAMABAD: In a strong statement on Thursday, National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub announced that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan will observe February 8 as a “black day,” marking what he described as the “snatching” of the masses’ mandate and the party’s valuable votes on that date.

Ayub, in a video message, urged PTI workers and supporters across Pakistan to take to the streets in protest on February 8, 2024. He particularly highlighted the planned public gathering in Swabi, calling for massive participation from the public in the rally.

In the meantime, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram criticized the federal government for failing to appoint a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) after the tenure of the current one expired on January 24. Akram pointed out the critical role of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and highlighted the issues the party had faced with the current leadership of the commission.

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“The ECP is a constitutional body, and its role is pivotal in ensuring free and fair elections,” said Akram. He also reiterated PTI’s concerns over the allegedly “engineered” elections under the current ECP leadership.

Akram accused the ECP of being responsible for “snatching” PTI’s public mandate and raised concerns about PTI’s exclusion from reserved and Senate seats. He revealed that a formal complaint against ECP Chief Sikandar Raja has been submitted to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) for further investigation.