PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced a “final call” for a protest in Islamabad on November 24, denouncing the “stolen mandate,” “unjust arrests,” and the government’s push for the 26th constitutional amendment, which passed last month. This move marks the latest in a series of actions by Khan’s party, demanding his release and condemning alleged electoral rigging during the February 8, 2024, elections.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 on multiple charges, sparking continuous demonstrations by PTI across Pakistan. The call for a major protest follows escalating tensions, including the arrest and brief detention of PTI leaders in Rawalpindi for breaching Section 144 and police action across Punjab last month. Notably, Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan, were detained for leading a protest in Islamabad but later granted bail.
Speaking after a meeting with Imran in Adiala Jail, Aleema Khan reiterated his message: “This is the moment when you will have to decide [whether] you want to live under martial law or live with freedom,” emphasizing Khan’s claim that the democratic foundation laid during the February elections was “stolen.”
The protest appeal targets four key groups: farmers, lawyers, civil society, and students, whom Imran urged to rally for their rights. Regarding the 26th constitutional amendment, Imran is quoted as saying that it has eroded fundamental rights, effectively silencing the Supreme Court and imposing conditions worse than past martial laws.
The PTI’s last major demonstration on October 4 saw hundreds of supporters defy security measures, including road closures and trenches, to gather in Islamabad despite harsh weather. Subsequent protests have been marked by heavy-handed responses, with recent clashes in Quetta on November 8 leading to injuries among police and protesters after authorities revoked permission for a rally.
Reacting to Imran’s call, PPP Vice-President Senator Sherry Rehman criticized it as “a call for chaos and provocation,” questioning the motive behind the “so-called final and decisive protest.” Rehman highlighted that while the PPP has held peaceful demonstrations, it never endorsed violent rhetoric or actions, and she accused Khan of using PTI workers as “political fuel for his release.”
The November 24 protest is expected to test the limits of public dissent amid an already tense political climate.
