Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has rallied his supporters to intensify peaceful protests in Islamabad. From his prison cell in Adiala Jail, he urged his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to “fight till the last ball and not retreat.”
The protests erupted into violent clashes between PTI workers and security forces, resulting in casualties and injuries. Khan accused Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi of ordering the attacks and vowed accountability for the violence.
Khan’s PTI party is demanding his release, free and fair elections, and the rollback of a controversial constitutional amendment they claim empowers a dictatorial regime. The protests also condemn alleged rigging in the February elections and unjust arrests of political activists.
Khan thanked Pakistanis abroad for their solidarity through funds, protests, and social media campaigns, urging them to amplify PTI’s demands and expose injustices.
The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif faces criticism for its heavy-handed measures to suppress PTI rallies. Observers note a growing backlash against the military’s perceived influence over politics.
Khan remains a polarizing figure, and his calls for defiance continue to escalate tensions in Pakistan’s political landscape.
