RAWALPINDI: Following the announcement of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Imran Khan Rehayi Aman Movement, the PTI Rawalpindi Chapter on Tuesday sought permission from the Rawalpindi district administration to hold a public meeting at Liaquat Bagh on August 5.

However, the district administration forwarded the application to the District Intelligence Committee for its input and asked to inform the political party [PTI] within a day or two whether permission would be granted.

PTI District President Ch Ameer Afzal told Dawn that the PTI district general secretary, Aqil Khan, had submitted an application to the district administration seeking a Non-Objection Certificate (NOC) to hold a public meeting at Liaquat Bagh on August 5.

He said there would be a peaceful gathering and that the party had begun mobilising workers and activists for the public meeting.

He added that, as a political party, it had the right to hold a public meeting.

In the application, the PTI district general secretary said: “For this purpose, the undersigned seeks grant of NOC from the deputy commissioner’s office. PTI is the largest political party of Pakistan and a large number of people are expected to participate in the political gathering on August 5 in Rawalpindi”.

He said PTI believed in maintaining law and order and discipline; therefore, its office-bearers were ready to fully cooperate with the district administration to ensure a smooth and hassle-free political gathering in Rawalpindi. He added that PTI was a major stakeholder in Pakistan’s political and parliamentary system.

The PTI and its members, leadership and supporters had a fundamental right to engage in political activities in Pakistan, as guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan. Denying such rights was tantamount to violating the basic constitutional principle on which the foundations of a political party were based, he said.

He said the right to assembly, guaranteed by Article 16 of the Constitution of Pakistan, included the freedom to communicate and express ideas by conduct such as patrolling, marching and picketing on streets and in hallways.

This freedom had roots in the tradition of petitioning the government for redress within the democratic process.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2026