Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will hold the second phase of its protest movement on August 14, coinciding with Pakistan’s Independence Day.
This announcement came from senior PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, as party members took to the streets on August 5 to mark two years since Imran Khan’s imprisonment.
The August 5 protests saw widespread detentions, particularly in Lahore, where police arrested over 240 PTI supporters, including 122 who tried to block roads. Others were picked up in overnight raids.
PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari stated that more than 200 activists were arrested in Lahore alone, including seven Punjab Assembly members who were later released by police.
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The protests triggered heavy police action across major cities, especially in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, where Section 144 was imposed to restrict public gatherings. Tear gas was fired in some areas to disperse crowds. Among those briefly detained was PTI leader Rehana Dar, picked up near Aiwan-e-Adal and later released.
Addressing party supporters in Swabi, Asad Qaiser claimed Imran Khan had been offered options in jail, including moving to Bani Gala, Nathia Gali, or even abroad, all of which he refused. Qaiser also stated that PTI will not allow military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the party governs, and warned of taking the matter to international courts if needed.
بانی چیئرمین عمران خان کی کال پر صوابی انبار انٹرچینج پر پاکستان تحریک انصاف کا جنون۔ pic.twitter.com/j2Rthy1VqI
— Asad Qaiser (@AsadQaiserPTI) August 5, 2025
PTI’s Chief Minister in KP, Ali Amin Gandapur, also addressed a rally in Peshawar, stating that the protests would now occur daily and that plans for August 13 and 14 would soon be shared. However, he left the stage early, triggering anger among party workers.
Overseas Pakistanis also joined the movement. In Dallas, USA, former deputy NA speaker Qasim Khan Suri led a protest, saying Imran Khan was being punished for standing against the system. He alleged that the February 2024 elections were rigged and called the ongoing crackdown “political victimization.”
