PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf activists on Friday staged demonstrations and rallies against the alleged rigging in the April-21 by-elections, and to demand release of the incarcerated party’s founding chairman Imran Khan.

The demonstrations were staged on the call of the party’s central leadership.

The protesters chanted slogans and also held banners and placards with different party slogans.

In the provincial capital, rallies and demonstrations were staged at 12 different locations, including Nasir Bagh Road, Hayatabat, Namak Mandi, Ring Road, Kohat Road, Charsadda Road, interior city and GT Road.

Similarly, a group of women workers of PTI also staged a rally outside the Peshawar Press Club.

Demand release of Imran from jail

Addressing the party workers of his constituency, higher education minister Meena Khan Afridi regretted the registration of cases against PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, terming such cases as without any justification.

He insisted that the mandate stolen from PTI in the previous general election should be returned to the party.

The PTI workers also took out a rally in Bannu district in protest against ‘rigging’ in by-elections, and demanded release of party’s founder and former prime minister Imran Khan from jail.

A local PTI leader, Malik Zafar Hayat led the rally, which converged in front of the press club building after passing through different bazaars.

PTI’s south region deputy secretary Sikandar Hayat, Baseer Ali Shah, brother of MNA Maulana Naseem Ali Shah, Malik Shakil, Malik Suleman Ghaznavi, former nazim Malik Khalid Riaz, former district councillor Abdul Razzaq, Sarhadullah of Insaf Labour Wing, Malik Zohran Khan and a good number of party activists participated.

The speakers said around 200 cases had been registered against the former prime minister and the party workers had been subjected to the worst kind of barbarism after the May 9, 2023 riots.

They alleged after stealing the mandate of PTI in the general elections held in February, the by-polls were also rigged to turn the victory of party-backed candidates into defeat. They said they would continue their protest till the release of Imran Khan and restoration of ‘real’ democracy in the country.

In Shangla, PTI activists blocked the Bisham-Swat Road in Alpuri to protest the ‘rigging’ and incarceration of Imran Khan.

PTI local leaders Habibur Rehman, Sardar Khan, Islam Zada, Ajmal Khan, Gul Hamrooz and others spoke on the occasion.

The speakers criticised the federal government and demanded immediate release of Imran Khan.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2024