After a long gap, Imran Khan's beleaguered party finally managed to hold a massive rally in Islamabad amid clashes with the capital's police which left dozens of policemen and PTI workers injured.
Authorities had granted permission to the PTI to hold a public gathering in the capital on Sunday.
However, they had also turned Islamabad literally into a walled city with shipping containers blocking all the roads linking it to neighboring Rawalpindi in anticipation of the rally and over 6,000 personnel of police and the Frontier Constabulary (FC) manning the routes.
Public transportation, including the Metro Bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, as well as the Green and Blue Line bus services within Islamabad, were suspended while trains arriving in Islamabad and Rawalpindi were delayed. All hotels, guest houses, and shops around the gathering venue were also closed on the order of the relevant police station.
Days before the PTI's 8 September rally, the PML-N led federal government had brought a new piece of legislationPeaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024to regulate permissions for public gatherings and stiffen up the punishments against violators. The recent Islamabad rally too was held after court intervention.
Despite these obstacles, a large number of PTI workers successfully reached the rally which was addressed by a number of PTI and opposition parties' leaders. During his address, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced that Lahore would be the next battleground.
"Whether we get an NOC or not, the next rally will be held in Lahore. The nation has shattered the idol of fear. Those who granted NROs have lost, and the PTI founder has already won, even while sitting in jail."
He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not allow their mandate to be stolen by force. "Raising your voice against a tyrant ruler is a form of jihad, and we will continue this jihad."
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar said the party will not accept any new cases against Imran Khan, nor will allow the government to take him to their chosen courts. "Those in power should clear the paths instead of blocking them, before the country heads into a dead end."
Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achazkzai said neither the army nor the police could stop the people.
"The PTI has the support of millions. The current government is one of thieves and robbers. If the PTI founder is not released, we will launch a movement across the entire country," he said.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said no jail is big enough to hold Imran Khan. "Imran Khan stands firm like a rock and will never bow down; he will fight the Yazid of our time until his last breath."
PTI Punjab President Hammad Azhar, who had gone underground, resurfaced at the rally. In his speech, he said, "I mentioned at the Swabi rally that we would make a big announcement, and now the stage is set in Punjab. Be ready; we will stand till the last drop of blood.
"All these obstacles are proof that the rulers are scared of us. This government is only sustained by intimidating the courts. If Imran Khan did not believe in the Constitution, your downfall would have already happened."
Sher Afzal Marwat said those behind Form 45 have mocked us, saying, 'Hold a rally in Punjab if you can.' We will enter Punjab, even if we have to go on foot, and we will face their tear gas. We will enter Punjab within a week."
Member of the National Assembly Makhdoom Zain Qureshi declared the rally a historic moment. "The public has proven that the most popular party is the PTI. [PTI's jailed Vice Chairman] Shah Mehmood Qureshi sends a message to the people: Stay united, we must get our leaders released. The day is not far when the PTI founder will once again be the prime minister."
Violation of schedule
At various locations, PTI workers tried to remove containers and clear pathways. The PTI also failed to adhere to the conditions outlined in the rally's permit, particularly regarding the designated time.
Some workers attempted to reach the venue by force instead of following the agreed-upon routes set by the district administration, violating these terms at the 26 Number Chungi area.
This led to clashes involving stone-pelting, baton charges, and tear gas, resulting in injuries to several police officers, including SP Safe City Shoaib Khan, as well as many workers.
To ensure adherence to the rally's schedule, the district administration informed the rally organizers at 6pm that only one hour remained until the permit's stipulated end time. The NOC had permitted the rally to take place from 4pm to 7pm.
At 7pm, PTI organizers were again reminded that failure to conclude the rally within the permitted time would be considered a violation of the NOC, and legal action would be taken against the organizers.
For the Islamabad rally, convoys from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, departed from Swabi, accompanied by heavy machinery to remove containers.
Govt reaction
Reacting to the rally, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said they are not afraid of the rallies but of the actions of the PTI members. "The September 8 rally is in fact a concert organized using Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government's resources," she claimed
Alluding to remarks of two late Dr Israr Ahmed and Hakim Mohammed Said, she said their claim that Imran Khan was an agent of Jewish lobby is now proving to be 100% true.
A day earlier her government had also tried to play up a story published in the Israeli media allegedly to frame Imran Khan as a Jewish agent.
She said everyone involved in May 9, 2023 incidents of vandalism will have to answer for it. "May 9 is a historic event, similar to the fall of Dhaka, and it can never be forgotten," she added.
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