LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has called off its planned nationwide protest rallies scheduled for today (Friday), shifting its focus to a major rally in Lahore on September 22.
Initially, the party had announced protests across the country in response to the detention of its lawmakers from Parliament House. However, following directives from PTI founder Imran Khan, the party decided to concentrate its efforts on the Lahore event, aiming to mobilize leaders, workers, and supporters from all regions, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Hammad Azhar, acting president of PTI Punjab, announced the postponement of the Friday protest via Twitter, urging supporters to prepare for the Lahore rally. Despite the cancellation, the PTI central leadership and its X handle have not commented further.
PTI spokesman Shaukat Basra emphasized that the Lahore rally will be a significant national event, with invitations extended to leaders and supporters from across Pakistan and beyond. He explained that the party’s decision to cancel the protests was driven by a strategy to consolidate its resources for the Lahore meeting.
Basra also mentioned that while the party has applied for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Lahore deputy commissioner, there has been no response. As a result, PTI has approached the Lahore High Court to seek permission for the rally. He assured that the party is committed to holding the Lahore rally on September 22, regardless of the NOC issuance, and that PTI members are ready to face any challenges from the government.
