LAHORE: Despite escalating tensions, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that its planned rally in Lahore on September 21 will proceed as scheduled, regardless of ongoing police raids, arrests, and legal hurdles.
PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan affirmed on Wednesday that the rally will take place as planned. The party’s leadership remains resolute in organizing the event, even if they do not receive the required No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from local authorities.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja emphasized that the party will not be deterred by government actions. “We are not afraid of fascism and are ready to face jail, but the rally will happen on September 21,” he declared.
Aleema Khan, sister of PTI founder Imran Khan, framed the rally as a stand for democracy and the rule of law. She announced that women from Lahore will lead the protest and pledged that it will remain peaceful despite potential police interference. “Whenever Lahore rises, all of Pakistan follows,” she asserted.
To manage the event, PTI has formed a 27-member organizational committee, led by PTI Lahore President Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood and Secretary General Awais Younas.
In the lead-up to the rally, police have conducted raids across Lahore and the broader province, resulting in several arrests of party members. PTI parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, Ali Imtiaz Warraich, was briefly detained but later released. Additionally, a late-night raid was carried out at the home of PTI leader Aliya Hamza, who had recently been released on bail after a 16-month imprisonment.
In response, PTI has filed a petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking legal protection against the ongoing arrests. The petition, submitted by Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood and Yasir Gillani, argues that the police actions are infringing upon the constitutional rights of PTI members.