PTI protests met with crackdown as party marks two years since Imran Khan’s imprisonment

Pakistan’s main opposition party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), staged nationwide protests Tuesday (August 5), marking two years since its founder Imran Khan was jailed.

Billed as the launch of a broader movement to “oust the fake and imposed government,” the demonstrations were met with a sweeping crackdown, including arrests, roadblocks, and heavy police presence across major cities.

Police and security officials said over 240 PTI activists were arrested, including 122 in Lahore for allegedly attempting to block roads and disrupt public order. Others were detained in overnight raids across Punjab.

PTI framed the protests as the start of a long-term campaign for Khan’s release and fresh elections, but authorities moved quickly to suppress the rallies, targeting party leaders and dispersing crowds with force.

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Islamabad and Punjab

In the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, PTI lawmakers seeking to reach Adiala Jail -where Khan remains incarcerated - first approached National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for production orders to avoid arrest. Their request was denied.

Despite this, senior parliamentarians including Barrister Salman Akram Raja, Mehmood Achakzai and Shandana Gulzar attempted to reach the jail but were stopped at the Chakri Interchange along the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway.

Only MNA Maulana Naseer and Senator Humayun Mohmand managed to reach within a kilometer of the jail, but they too were stopped at a security checkpoint. A small group of activists gathered at the same location but were also turned back.

PTI's Rehana Dar is detained by police officers during a nationwide protest demanding Khan's release on the second anniversary of his jailing, in Lahore, Pakistan, August 5, 2025. Reuters

While five individuals - including lawyers Niazullah Niazi, Salman Safdar, Shamsa Ali, and Zaheer Abbas - were granted permission to meet Khan at Adiala Jail, authorities ultimately barred them from doing so.

Notably, this was one of the first major PTI protests in the capital in recent months. Though security was visible, authorities avoided the use of containers, erecting only a few barricades en route to the jail.

Elsewhere in Punjab, law enforcement launched a preemptive crackdown on PTI members and sympathizers. At least seven provincial lawmakers and dozens of party workers were arrested in Lahore alone.

In Sialkot, PTI MNA Rehana Dar was taken into custody while leading a rally. PTI alleged that police assaulted lawmakers, broke vehicle windows, and tore their clothes during arrests.

To curb further mobilization, authorities placed shipping containers near Liberty Roundabout in Lahore and conducted raids across the city. Party sources claimed that lawmakers and ticket holders had gathered overnight in Lahore to join the main demonstrations, while supporters in DHA Rahbar organized a separate rally.

In Gujjarpura, a case was filed under sedition and obstruction charges after around 10 workers were arrested for chanting slogans and allegedly resisting police orders.

Sindh

In Sindh, PTI said it organized rallies in over 50 cities and towns as part of its province-wide protest campaign. However, noticeable demonstrations took place in Karachi, where seven small processions from different districts converged at Hassan Square, led by PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh and other senior leaders.

A supporter of Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party throws a stone at police during a protest demanding the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan in Karachi on August 5, 2025. Reuters

Clashes intensified as rallies approached Hassan Square and the Expo Centre in Karachi, with police deploying force to disperse the gatherings.

PTI claimed that police used batons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators and arrested over 200 workers. Several people were injured during clashes, and raids were conducted to prevent more supporters from joining.

Protests were also reported in other cities.

Supporters of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), take part in a nationwide protest demanding Khan's release on the second anniversary of his jailing, in Karachi, Pakistan, August 5, 2025. Reuters

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the protests took on a more organized character. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur led a major rally in Peshawar, which began at Hayatabad Toll Plaza. The protest was one of the largest in the province and signaled strong local support for the PTI founder.

In Malakand, PTI provincial president Junaid Akbar led a procession from Chakdara Toll Plaza, while former minister Atif Khan spearheaded a Mardan rally joined by activists from Swabi and Charsadda. These processions culminated at Ambar Interchange.

Additional demonstrations were reported at the Attock Khairabad Bridge - gathering workers from Nowshera and Mohmand - and in Haripur’s Jhari Kas Interchange by activists from the Hazara division. Workers from Upper Chitral marched to Lower Chitral to hold their own protest.

Speaking at the Malakand rally, Junaid Akbar declared that the campaign would continue until Khan’s release. “The graph of PTI is going up with 85 percent population supporting Khan. We don’t need to rely on anyone,” he stated.

‘Khan ready for dialogue’

While leading a separate rally in Buner, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said, “No matter how long Imran Khan is kept behind bars, the people will continue to demand his release.”

Gohar emphasized the party’s long-standing democratic struggle. “PTI has spent 27 years pursuing constitutional politics. We don’t believe in violence,” he said, adding that Khan was open to dialogue “for the sake of Pakistan.” However, he criticized the removal of senior party leaders from Parliament, saying it “undermines the very sanctity of the institution.”

*With additional input from Reuters