In a social media post, PTI condemned what it called “heavy shelling” on peaceful protesters, labeling the current situation in the country as “Undeclared Martial Law.”
The party’s official post on X stated: “Scenes Pakistanis have grown accustomed to in this #UndeclaredMartialLaw.Heavy shelling by Islamabad police on peaceful Pakistanis gathered in massive numbers for Imran Khan & PTI’s rally in Islamabad. Shameful, despicable, desperate, cowardly behavior by the illegitimate, authoritarian regime, over & over again. These disgraceful, unlawful acts only strengthen the people’s resolve to fight for their ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’!”
PTI further criticised the actions of law enforcement, calling them “disgusting and shameful” and asserting that the crowd had delivered a strong message.
“These police officers should be ashamed of themselves, for attacking one of the most peaceful crowds ever. IG Islamabad and tout government should STOP playing with people’s lives. This is highly disgusting and shameful, the people sent a huge message today!” the party added.
The rally, which had faced multiple delays due to revoked permissions, finally commenced on the outskirts of Islamabad on Sunday. Despite being denied permission several times earlier, the PTI brought together supporters from across the province, as reported by Dawn.
Addressing the rally, senior PTI leader Hammad Azhar said that the gathering was a stand for the rule of law and the supremacy of the Constitution in Pakistan. “We will, God willing, secure Imran Khan’s release,” Azhar said, adding that no obstacle would deter their cause.
The rally had originally been scheduled for July, then postponed to August, before being further delayed due to security concerns cited by authorities. PTI has been pushing for Imran Khan’s release since his imprisonment in August.
Although Khan’s conviction in the Iddat case was recently overturned, his release was blocked by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which arrested him in connection with a new Toshakhana case shortly after. His previous Toshakhana sentences were suspended, and he was also acquitted in the cipher case by the Islamabad high court.
PTI has been trying to secure permission for a public meeting in Islamabad for several months, but the district administration has repeatedly denied their requests, citing security risks. The party even approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in March for approval.
In July, PTI announced another protest, but the district administration revoked their non-objection certificate (NOC) at the last moment, delaying the rally until September 8. Despite preparations for the event, the capital police blocked major entry points to the city, citing intelligence reports of a “medium-level” terrorism threat linked to the gathering.
Senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser decried the government’s preventive measures, including the placement of containers and police blockades. “It is unfortunate that this fascist government with a stolen mandate is creating such a hostile environment,” Qaiser said in a video message posted on X. “They approved the NOC and the court has permitted the rally, but Rawalpindi has been closed off.”
PTI Punjab spokesperson Shaukat Basra also claimed that the police in Punjab had received “unconstitutional” orders to block workers from joining the rally.