ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan, former Prime Minister and PTI leader, announced on Friday that the party’s highly anticipated August 22 rally in Islamabad has been postponed to September 8. This decision was made to prevent a repeat of the May 9 violence.
Speaking to the media after a court session related to a £190 million corruption case at Adiala Jail, Khan explained that his meeting with Azam Khan Swati on August 22 was to discuss planned protests by other political and religious parties in Islamabad on the same day.
Khan dismissed suggestions that Swati acted as an intermediary with government officials, criticizing the current government as a “product of Form-47” with which he refuses to negotiate.
The PTI leader attributed the rally’s postponement to fears of chaos, similar to the May 9 incident, and reiterated the party’s demand for a judicial inquiry into that violence. He emphasized that the September 8 rally will proceed despite any obstacles.
Khan also criticized the cancellation of the no-objection certificate (NOC) for the August 22 rally, questioning the judiciary’s credibility and the district administration’s authority in overriding the court’s permission.
Additionally, Khan has instructed PTI leaders to plan a protest over the Supreme Court’s delay in delivering a detailed judgment on reserved seats.
Responding to criticism over his call for an open trial of former ISI chief Faiz Hameed, Khan argued that as the leader of the largest political party, he has the right to seek transparency in the military court proceedings concerning the serious allegations of conspiracy for May 9 violence. He suggested that open trials could benefit the country and prevent future martial laws.
Khan also alleged that Nawaz Sharif is preparing to return to London and claimed that the government is attempting to extend the term of Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. He warned that if this fails, they might manipulate the process to appoint a preferred successor by bypassing seniority rules.
