Lahore [Pakistan], July 13 : Senior leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) arrived in Lahore to finalise plans for a nationwide protest movement set to peak on August 5, aimed at securing the release of party founder Imran Khan, as reported by the Dawn on Sunday.
As per Dawn, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur called the Lahore visit on Saturday the official beginning of the campaign.
Before heading to Lahore, PTI leaders convened in Islamabad to address several internal matters, including the possible disqualification of 26 Punjab Assembly lawmakers recently suspended by the speaker.
In the evening on Saturday, a convoy of KP legislators, led by CM Gandapur and Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, travelled via GT Road, stopping in Jhelum in Pakistan's Punjab Province, where Gandapur announced the movement had already begun, the Dawn reported.
He said the meeting in Lahore would finalise the strategy leading up to the second anniversary of Imran Khan's imprisonment on August 5.
PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan stated that the purpose of the Lahore meeting was to discuss parliamentary matters, particularly the suspension of PTI Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) and criticised the Punjab government for "unleashing fascism for the past two years" and called for a return to reason and democracy, the Dawn reported.
Despite concerns that police might block their entry into Lahore, the PTI convoy entered without incident and settled at a farmhouse in Raiwind. However, authorities continued to raid the homes of party leaders and supporters, detaining at least five individuals at Shahdra Morr, one of the city's main entry points, as reported by Dawn.
At a late-night gathering in Raiwind, CM Gandapur told party members they had arrived at the "political hub of the country" to launch the protest officially. He emphasised the historic success of movements originating from Lahore and urged all provinces to develop protest plans tailored to local issues, aiming to maximise nationwide participation by August 5.
Gandapur criticised the military establishment, accusing it of imposing an unofficial form of martial law and contributing to national decline through repeated political experiments and said that those responsible showed no regret for the current state of affairs.
Opposition Leader of Punjab Province, Bhachar, lamented that Gandapur did not receive a proper welcome in Punjab due to what he described as a "fascist government" that disregards democratic norms, the Dawn reported.
He noted that PTI members were suspended from the assembly following two appearances by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, arguing this reflected the ruling party's fear of PTI's 107 lawmakers.
Despite thousands of FIRs filed against its members, Bhachar declared the PTI was prepared to launch a robust campaign to secure the release of Imran Khan, his wife, and other detained political figures.
While PTI lawmakers are now stationed in Lahore, the party's Punjab chapter, under Aliya Hamza Malik, has already mobilised workers across the province, assigning roles to ensure the protest reaches its peak on August 5, the Dawn reported.
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