Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has criticised the PTI protest call for Independence Day. He said national occasions should bring people together, not divide them through political confrontation.
Speaking to a Private TV Channel, Rana Sanaullah said that August 14 is a day of celebration for the entire nation. Turning it into a PTI protest day would harm national unity. He urged the party to choose another date, suggesting August 13, 15, or 16 instead.
His comments followed a post from PTI founder and former prime minister Imran Khan’s X account on August 6. In the post, Khan urged supporters to “take to the streets in full force” against what he called ongoing oppression. This message came after the party’s failed protest attempt on August 5.
Sanaullah said he had no objection to lawful demonstrations. However, he stressed that holding a PTI protest on Independence Day goes against Pakistan’s traditions. He added that opposition parties should show unity on such days rather than political aggression.
Referring to August 5, observed as the “Day of Exploitation” against India’s revocation of occupied Kashmir’s autonomy, Sanaullah noted that the whole nation stood with Kashmiris. The PTI protest on that day, he said, achieved nothing despite being announced as a major movement.
On August 5, PTI organised rallies in some cities, demanding the release of Imran Khan, who has now completed two years in prison. The party claimed police detained at least 300 activists in Lahore during overnight raids. PTI leaders also accused authorities of targeting their workers and leadership.
AFP quoted PTI’s Zulfikar Bukhari as saying that seven Punjab Assembly members were arrested in Lahore. The police later released them. According to a Punjab police statement, Deputy Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Moeen Riaz Qureshi, along with MPs Farrukh Javed Moon, Khawaja Salahuddin, Shoaib Amir, Amanullah Khan, and Iqbal Khattak, were among those freed.
Rehana Dar, detained outside Aiwan-e-Adal, was also released, the PTI media cell confirmed.
In another message posted on the party’s X account, Imran Khan urged his supporters to keep holding peaceful PTI protests until what he described as “true democracy” returns to Pakistan.
