Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced plans for a significant protest at Islamabad's D-Chowk on October 15, coinciding with the start of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. The announcement was made following a political committee meeting, with PTI’s central information secretary, Sheikh Waqas Akram, confirming the decision on social media.
Akram said that PTI has called off its protests in Punjab but is demanding the release of detained PTI workers, leaders, and Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) in the province. He emphasized that the upcoming protest will be "powerful" and urged for an end to what the party describes as "unlawful" raids and arrests carried out by the federal and Punjab governments.
He also expressed concerns over the safety of PTI chairman Imran Khan, claiming that the government’s actions have violated his basic human rights and put his life at risk. Akram warned that if Imran Khan is not granted access to his fundamental rights, family, and party leaders, the entire country will take to the streets on October 15.
The protest comes at a sensitive time, as the SCO Summit is scheduled to take place in Islamabad from October 15-16, with international attention focused on the event. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, has criticized PTI's protest plans, comparing them to the party's 2014 sit-in, which lasted for months. Sharif argued that such actions hurt the country’s image and economy, especially with the Chinese Premier expected to visit for bilateral discussions during the summit.
Sharif strongly stated that any repeat of such incidents would not be allowed, vowing that the government will not tolerate disruptions during this critical period.
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