PTI warns of Islamabad march on Sept 27 if Imran Khan's cases aren't heard on merit

Pakistan's opposition PTI party marked the third anniversary of its founder Imran Khan's arrest with nationwide protests and rallies. The party's leadership, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, issued strong warnings against the government and judiciary, threatening a march on the capital if demands are not met.

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You must do justice, otherwise we are coming on Sept 27.

CM Afridi declared that the PTI would march on Islamabad on September 27 if the legal cases against Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, are not heard on merit. He also demanded the lifting of restrictions on meetings between Khan and his legal team, family, and political associates, which he claimed have been in place for eight months. Afridi asserted that Khan would be released swiftly if the judiciary acted independently.

During a large rally in Peshawar, Afridi urged party workers to prepare for the potential march, taking an oath not to be intimidated by state power. He also held the federal government and institutions responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and provincial president MNA Junaid Akbar Khan also addressed the gathering.

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Imran Khan would have come out of jail immediately if he had signed a deal with the powers that be.

In Lahore and Karachi, protests saw clashes with authorities. PTI supporters attempting to rally near Lahore's civil secretariat were reportedly met with police action. In Karachi, police used teargas and batons against protesters, detaining at least ten workers. The party claims that its leaders and workers, including MNAs and MPAs, have been arrested across the country, particularly in Lahore.

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He also held the federal government and institutions responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in the province, saying the insurgency had engulfed KP.