ISLAMABAD: PTI has decided to observe Feb 8 as a ‘Black Day’ to protest the deprivation of its mandate.

In a statement, PTI’s Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram said the party had begun preparations to mark the first anniversary of the “mother of all poll robberies” as a ‘Black Day’ which had enabled the “power-greedy” and “self-serving” to illegitimately seize the power, making mockery of democracy.

He stated that all PTI MNAs and MPAs were instr­ucted to make full preparations to hold large demonstrations in various parts of the country to convey a strong message to the power usurpers that the nation would not rest until reclaiming the “stolen” mandate and ensuring supremacy of the constitution and rule of law.

He said it was evident from the surprising turn of events that on one hand Shehbaz Sharif was nominated prime minister on the very day the court was set to sentence him and his son in corruption cases, on the other he facilitated the deal to ensure his convicted brother’s home-coming.

Regarding the Al-Qadir Trust case, Mr Akram said that Imran Khan had faced all politically motivated cases in the court and expressed the hope that the outcome of this case would also not be different.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2025