ISLAMABAD — The streets of Pakistan, from the bustling metropolises to the serene mountains of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, have once again stirred with the echo of defiance as supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rallied nationwide to mark two years since the arrest of their leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, reported by International News Media.
Thousands took to city squares and provincial capitals, heeding Khan’s call for peaceful resistance “until a true democracy is restored.” In Lahore and Karachi, heavy-handed crackdowns met their fervor: police deployed tear gas, wielded batons, and arrested over 200 demonstrators, including 73-year-old PTI stalwart Rehana Dar—a moment captured and shared on social media that ignited widespread outrage.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a traditional PTI stronghold, saw tens of thousands assemble amid cautious optimism, while in the more remote stretches of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, smaller yet impassioned gatherings took place—each carrying its own resonance of regional discontent.
The demonstrations come amid a turbulent political backdrop. Courts in July issued sweeping verdicts against PTI affiliates: more than a hundred party members were sentenced to prison over the May 2023 riots, while an additional 196 activists—among them lawmakers—received 10-year sentences. Critics argue these rulings represent a strategic tightening of the screws on the party.
These developments deepen Pakistan’s political deadlock: PTI’s continued resistance clashes violently with the government’s push for stability, with the military’s shadow looming large over both the justice system and democratic process.
For now, the protest movement pulses onward—under a sky burdened with unresolved legal battles, mounting convictions, and the unyielding hope of Imran Khan’s supporters that one day, their voice will truly echo across Pakistan’s corridors of power.
