Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf call for massive rally in Swabi on August 5, convoys leave Karachi

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 4 (ANI): Convoys of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers, on the call of party founder Imran Khan, have departed from Karachi to hold the rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swabi on August 5.

In a post on X, PTI stated, “We are leaving Karachi on the call of Imran Khan, convoys from all over Sindh will join us and our halt will be in Swabi.”

In the video posted on X, PTI Sindh Provincial President, Haleem Adil Sheikh, said, “Convoys of PTI Sindh leaves for Swabi from Karachi. Our captain has given a call. PTI supporters will be joining the convoy while they head to Karachi.”

The PTI leaders shouted slogans calling for the release of former Pakistan PM Imran Khan. In another post, PTI said that the convoy which left from Karachi was heading towards Hyderabad.

Taking to X, PTI stated, “The whole world will listen to the call of the Pakistani people on the call of Imran Khan! August 5 Swabi.”

PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan announced the Swabi rally after the party was not permitted to hold public gatherings in Punjab or Islamabad, Pakistan-based Dawn reported on Saturday.

The PTI leaders have been making efforts to arrange a record public gathering to put additional pressure on the federal government and expose it further.

Pakistan’s former National Assembly Asad Qaiser and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Shahram Khan Tarakai visited Shahmansoor Town and inspected the cricket ground area where the party is likely to hold the public meeting.

Asad Qaiser said, “We have planned to organise a record gathering and we enjoy massive support of the people,” according to Dawn report.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Irrigation Minister Aqibullah Khan said that preparations for the gathering were being made and PTI activists were working round the clock to ensure all arrangements related to the party’s rally.

Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education Abdul Karim said that they had formed various committees with different takes to make the gathering a complete success, Dawn reported.

Imran Khan (71), who served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since August 2023 on multiple charges, including the Toshakhana case, the cypher case and the unlawful marriage case.

His wife has also remained in prison for months. A court has suspended his sentence in the Toshakhana case and other courts overturned his convictions in the cypher and iddat cases respectively, Geo News reported. However, the hopes for Imran Khan and his wife’s release were dashed when NAB arrested them on fresh charges related to the sale of state gifts.

The chances of Imran Khan’s release from prison were further dimmed after his arrest in new cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots case after his acquittal in the iddat case, Geo News reported. Protests erupted across Pakistan after Imran Khan was arrested on May 9, 2023. The protests were held in remote and major cities as the PTI workers were angry after Imran Khan’s arrest.