PTI plans nationwide protest under Imran Khan's direction from prison

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan will lead his party’s upcoming nationwide protest movement from jail, party leader and legal counsel Senator Ali Zafar announced on Saturday.

Speaking to the media, Zafar said Khan had instructed the PTI leadership to prepare for what he termed a "decisive" protest campaign against the PML-N-led coalition government. According to Zafar, the former prime minister emphasised that the protests would be held across the country and personally overseen by him from behind bars.

"The PTI founder has expressed deep frustration over the lack of relief from both the judiciary and executive," Zafar stated. He added that Khan had tasked him with formulating a detailed plan for the movement in consultation with party leadership and legal experts. The final strategy will be presented in their next meeting.

Khan, who has been incarcerated since August 2023, reportedly told his party that they had been left with no choice but to take to the streets. He insisted the movement would not be confined to Islamabad, but span the entire country.

Meanwhile, Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, speaking to journalists outside Adiala Jail, reiterated the former premier’s call for a broad-based protest. She also claimed that Khan has only been allowed to speak to his children once in the last eight months and is being denied access to books and his personal physician.

Khan, 71, has been facing multiple charges, including corruption and terrorism, following his removal from office in April 2022 through a parliamentary no-confidence vote.