[Islamabad] Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has begun a 90-day protest campaign across the country, calling for the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The campaign, which began Saturday night and will culminate on August 5, was announced by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday. The protest movement marks a new phase in PTI’s effort to mobilize nationwide support and pressure what it calls the real power holders in Pakistan.
Flanked by interim PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja, Gandapur said the campaign would be peaceful and persistent. “I give you in writing, there will be no vandalism,” he said, pledging a coordinated effort with protests planned for cities and neighborhoods throughout the country.
Gandapur stressed that PTI would decide on its future political direction on August 5, depending on how the authorities respond to the movement. He also signaled that the party is open to negotiations, but not with the civilian government. “What’s the point of negotiating with those who hold no authority?” he asked.
PTI maintains that the real decision-making power in Pakistan lies not with the elected government but with the country’s military and unelected establishment. That sentiment was echoed by senior PTI leader and former federal minister Ali Muhammad Khan, who told The Media Line that the protest will be “truly national,” with no centralized location. “People from all provinces will come out in their respective regions,” he said.
This is not just a protest—it is a message to those in power that the people of Pakistan, from Khyber to Karachi, stand united behind their leader
“This is not just a protest—it is a message to those in power that the people of Pakistan, from Khyber to Karachi, stand united behind their leader,” Khan added.
PTI has framed the protest not only as a demand for Khan’s release but as a broader rejection of what it sees as increasing political suppression and institutional bias. The campaign reflects a shift in strategy from concentrated rallies to widespread, decentralized street action.
Punjab government spokesperson Uzma Bukhari addressed the movement during her own press conference in Lahore on Sunday, calling Gandapur’s announcement a self-serving move to “secure his job.” She warned that while the Punjab government would not prevent a peaceful PTI rally in Lahore, the authorities would take action if weapons were brought to the event.
Bukhari also criticized PTI for what she described as political doublespeak—engaging in backchannel negotiations with the same government it publicly claims has no real authority. “Democratic forces always engage with elected governments,” she said. “Sooner or later, PTI will also have to talk to political and democratic representatives.”
Earlier reports suggested that Imran Khan’s sons—Sulaiman Isa Khan and Kasim Khan, who live in the United Kingdom with their mother, Jemima Goldsmith—might participate in leading the protests. PTI officials, including Khan’s sister Aleema Khan, have floated the idea publicly. But Gandapur made no mention of the sons’ involvement during the Lahore press conference.
Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Political Affairs, warned that Khan’s sons could face arrest if they return to Pakistan.
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My children are not allowed to speak on the phone to their father, Imran Khan. He has been in solitary confinement in prison for nearly two years.
Jemima Goldsmith publicly denounced the government’s stance in a post on her X (formerly Twitter) account, writing: “My children are not allowed to speak on the phone to their father, Imran Khan. He has been in solitary confinement in prison for nearly two years. Pakistan’s government has now said if they go there to try to see him, they too will be arrested and put behind bars. This doesn’t happen in a democracy or a functioning state. This isn’t politics. It’s a personal vendetta.”
Raja Shafqat Ali, a Rawalpindi-based political analyst, told The Media Line that the political atmosphere in Pakistan is not suitable for Khan’s sons to return and lead any movement. He noted that such a move would contradict Khan’s long-standing rejection of dynastic politics. “Khan has consistently positioned himself against dynastic politics, often criticizing rival parties for promoting family-based leadership. For his sons to now step into the spotlight would contradict that stance and raise questions about his credibility.”
He added that PTI currently faces institutional resistance and lacks the grassroots momentum needed for sustained protest action. “That,” Ali said, “will ultimately decide the success or failure of this movement. And so far, the signs suggest that the public isn’t ready, at least not yet.”
The protest campaign comes at a time of mounting pressure on PTI, as the Pakistani government has escalated its efforts to silence dissent. Authorities recently blocked 27 pro-PTI YouTube channels that focused on news and current affairs. The crackdown on digital platforms is part of a broader effort to control the party’s narrative and limit its outreach.
Imran Khan, a former cricket star who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 until his ouster in a no-confidence vote in 2022, has been in jail since 2023. He has been convicted in multiple cases, mostly involving corruption and nondisclosure of assets, and faces over 100 legal charges, including accusations of terrorism and leaking state secrets. He and his supporters claim the charges are politically motivated to keep him out of politics.
Muhammed Tariq Khan, a Lahore-based senior political analyst, told The Media Line that PTI’s strategy depends on several factors, chiefly whether the leadership can mobilize mass public support.
He pointed to internal tensions within the party following Gandapur’s announcement of a 90-day campaign when Khan had previously marked August 5 as the target date. The discrepancy sparked pushback, with Punjab organizer Aliya Hamza and other senior members questioning the move. Several provincial lawmakers skipped a key meeting in Lahore, suggesting cracks within the leadership.
Khan noted that Gandapur himself has a history of leaving protestors in the lurch—having walked away from past demonstrations—and is now struggling to retain the trust of PTI workers.
He also observed that while there is no clear consensus on who should lead the movement—whether Aleema Khan or Imran Khan’s nephews—the party may pivot toward the ex-prime minister’s sons as potential unifying figures. But that possibility depends on how the courts rule on ongoing cases related to the violent May 9 protests, which could lead to widespread disqualifications among PTI leadership.
“In this environment,” Khan said, “PTI appears to be moving toward a protest phase, but whether it can deliver real pressure remains uncertain.”
Salman Lali, a Lahore-based geopolitical analyst and fellow at the think tank CommandEleven, told The Media Line that the state has made it difficult for opposition voices to gain traction. “The state has systematically cracked down on dissent—arresting PTI members, shutting down the internet, and blocking pro-PTI voices online. Fear and fatigue have stifled public mobilisation, making mass protests nearly impossible.”
Despite these obstacles, Lali said Khan remains a potent political figure. “Digitally, privately, and publicly, his popularity keeps rising,” he noted. “Whether you love him or hate him, Khan has become a symbol of resistance to a system seen by many as unaccountable and imposed.”
He added that public support for the current government is at a historic low. “It’s clear the current government is facing some of the worst approval ratings in Pakistan’s history.”
Lali pointed to a pattern of judicial overreach and institutional bias, which he said had created a deep political rift that cannot be resolved through suppression alone. “They’ve pushed resistance underground, but it hasn’t gone away,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of Khan’s sons entering politics, Lali said, “The system will likely block them with bureaucratic hurdles or impose conditions so strict that any political role would be meaningless.”
Right now, Pakistan is caught in a deadlock between public sentiment and state control. The government may have buried resistance for now, but Khan remains a symbol of public resistance.
He concluded, “Right now, Pakistan is caught in a deadlock between public sentiment and state control. The government may have buried resistance for now, but Khan remains a symbol of public resistance.”
Whether the PTI can turn that symbolic power into a functional political comeback may depend on how the next few weeks unfold—and whether Pakistan’s streets can again become a stage for protest.