QUETTA: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday launched a nationwide protest movement to mark the second anniversary of the arrest of its founding chairman and former Prime Minister, Imran Khan.
As part of the demonstrations, PTI protesters in Zhob blocked the main national highway connecting Punjab and Balochistan by burning tyres and erecting barricades, severely disrupting traffic. Long queues of vehicles were reported, causing major inconvenience to the public.
In Balochistan, baton-wielding PTI activists reportedly clashed with police during the protest. The unrest coincides with a broader protest campaign initiated across several cities including Lahore, Okara, Mohmand, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Despite the party’s call for nationwide protests, many areas across the country remained calm, with the general public largely ignoring the strike call. In the capital city, Islamabad, daily life remained undisturbed. According to reports, all major entry and exit points, including D-Chowk, remained open with no visible signs of demonstrations or shutdowns.
Authorities had, however, deployed heavy contingents of police and positioned prison vans at key locations as a precautionary measure.
In Punjab, where Section 144 is in effect, authorities launched a crackdown on PTI leaders and activists. At least six members of the Punjab Assembly were arrested in Lahore, along with more than 300 party workers detained for violating the law.
The PTI’s protest campaign comes amid a period of political uncertainty and continued legal battles for the party leadership, as Imran Khan remains behind bars.
