Imran Khan's party postpones power show in Islamabad till next month

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Thursday postponed its planned rally in the capital here until next month on the direction of its founder and jailed former premier Imran Khan after the government refused to permit the demonstration.

Party leader Azam Swati said while talking to the media outside the Adiala Jail Rawalpindi where he along with party leader Gohar Khan met Khan.

“The rally has been rescheduled and now will be held on September 8 as directed by Imran Khan,” Swati made the announcement, adding that the government also agreed to the new date.

He also quoted Khan as saying that the party workers, who were already out on the road to reach the venue, should go back.

The announcement comes as the capital city was tense due to the threat by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) leaders to go ahead with its plan to hold the rally in Islamabad despite the government's refusal to give permission.

The government closed all schools in Islamabad and also blocked all main entries to the city by placing shipping containers on roads to stop the movement of the PTI workers. There were reports of traffic jams and long queues of vehicles on the inter-city roads which were still open.

PTI had sought to hold a power show after months of political wrangling over the cases against its party chief and former premier Khan and other leaders. However, the government cancelled its no-objection certificate (NOC) at the last minute.

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa on Wednesday issued an order, stating that he was immediately suspending the NOC issued on July 31 by the deputy commissioner to hold a rally, elaborating that it was unsafe to allow the PTI rally given the current situation.

Separately, the Punjab Home Department imposed Section 144 across the province in light of “the prevailing law and order situation and security threats” and it prohibited gatherings, sits-in, rallies, demonstrations, protests and similar activities across Punjab with effect from Thursday to Saturday.

Officials feared violence and possible sit-ins if the PTI was allowed to bring thousands of supporters to the capital because it has a history of such protests. It staged a 126-day-long sit-in in Islamabad in 2014, while on May 9, 2023, the party held a violent protest when Khan was arrested.