Imprisonment of IK, Bushra Bibi: PTI says will hold nationwide rallies on Aug 5

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday fired a fresh political salvo at the government, announcing nationwide rallies on August 5 in what the party billed as a major show of strength against the continued imprisonment of its party founding chairman Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the PTI parliamentary committee, where party lawmakers went beyond the formal agenda to launch a broader discussion on what they described as the country’s escalating political turmoil and deepening crisis.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, acting PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the party had resolved to take its protest campaign across the country on August 5 – the day Imran Khan was arrested in 2023 after being convicted in the Toshakhana case.

He declared that PTI’s lawmakers stood united in their belief that Khan’s imprisonment was unjust and vowed that the party would continue its legal and political battle for his release.

He said PTI had repeatedly approached the courts for relief but was still awaiting decisions on key appeals.

“The entire parliamentary party believes that Khan’s imprisonment is unfair,” he said, while accusing the authorities of prolonging a legal and political confrontation that had intensified tensions nationwide.

The PTI leader said the upcoming rallies would not be a repeat of previous demonstrations, hinting at a more aggressive political strategy and a broader show of public support.

He added that PTI’s political committee and the opposition alliance would soon announce a joint plan of action, signalling a coordinated push against the government.

The announcement came days after Aleema Khan, the sister of Imran Khan, called on PTI supporters to step up their campaign and increase pressure for the former prime minister’s release.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026