August 5, 2026
By Hafiz Ullah Storai Sherani
Additional Reporting by Aitzaz Ibrahim (Lahore) & Shokat Korai (Karachi)
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/KARACHI
Marking three years of imprisonment for Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan and the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), his party planned holding nationwide protests on Wednesday August 5, with the main rally taking place in Peshawar, the central city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, this evening.
Chief Minister of KP, Sohail Afridi, declared the Peshawar rally the largest in the province’s history, stating that the party leadership will present a complete and final action plan for the movement to free Imran Khan.
“Those who overthrew a democratic government in April 2022 thinking that Imran Khan’s party would be finished will realize today the reality of the situation.”
Meanwhile, former Speaker of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser condemned the treatment of the PTI founder.
“Over the three years, Imran Khan was kept in a dilapidated cell, extreme heat, and the mental torture of solitary confinement, where alleged medical negligence also resulted in damage to the eye,” he said. “The party’s electoral symbol was taken away, thousands of workers were arrested, and instead of accepting the public mandate of the February 8 elections, unelected individuals were imposed.”
Asad Qaiser emphasized that meaningful negotiations with Imran Khan, fresh free and fair elections, and the establishment of a neutral Election Commission were the only solutions for political and economic stability in the country.
On the other hand, Imran Khan’s son, Kasim Khan, who resides abroad, criticized the government and the system in a fresh interview with the US TV channel CNN.
“The government has adopted an extremely harsh attitude against all types of protests over the past few years because it is functioning like a military dictatorship,” he said. “Therefore, they have no hesitation in using their power to suppress any free voice or protest. They have also taken people hostage, but I hope this political struggle will prove successful in making an impact.”
Wave of arrests
According to the PTI leadership, obstacles have been set up at various places across the country today to block PTI rallies and protests on Wednesday, while reports of arrests are circulating. According to PTI leader Junaid Akbar, when workers departed from Dera Ismail Khan yesterday for the protection and reception of Aleema Khan (Imran Khan’s sister), the Punjab government arrested former PTI district president Gul Malook Khan and his companions under 3 MPO and transferred them to Mianwali Jail.
On the other hand, leaders of the National Dialogue Committee have approached the Islamabad High Court. This committee mainly comprises political figures who were previously part of Imran Khan’s party, but due to various political differences or having to leave PTI, are now aside from the main party. These include Fawad Chaudhry, Imran Ismail, Barrister Saif, and others who have filed a petition in the IHC through Advocate Faisal Farid Chaudhry seeking permission to meet Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi in Adiala Jail.
Speaking to the media outside the court, Fawad Chaudhry spoke about the meeting.
“A meeting with Imran Khan cannot happen without the consent of the establishment. Our approach is different; we want to move things forward through dialogue. The establishment needs to listen to us and Imran Khan needs to understand our point of view. We are friends of Imran Khan and are concerned about the treatment meted out to him in jail.”
“We have repeatedly told the government and the establishment that no major decision for Pakistan can be made without dialogue and including Imran Khan’s input,” said Barrister Saif. “We request the establishment to facilitate us so that the atmosphere of confrontation and tension can be reduced.”
72-year-old Imran Khan was removed from power in April 2022 through a no-confidence motion in parliament, after which severe political restrictions were imposed on his party. Imran Khan was first arrested on May 9, 2023, while he has been continuously detained since his re-arrest on August 5, 2023.
Lahore protest
On Wednesday, Lahore also saw PTI party workers stage a demonstration for the release of their leader outside the Aiwan-e-Adl. However this was met with a crackdown by the police. According to PTI leaders, around 20 workers were taken into custody from outside Aiwan-e-Adl during the protest. Some of those protesting were lawyers who were also taken into custody.
Speaking to Voicepk, Farhat Khalid, Additional General Secretary, PTI (Central Punjab), said that this was an important day as they had gathered in huge numbers for their leader Imran Khan. “However as soon as we collected here, they tried to sabotage us, we faced a police crack down almost at once. The police arrested our workers, including women, But we will continue to stand with Imran and Pakistan – this has not affected our passion.”
چیئرمین تحریکِ انصاف عمران خان کی گرفتاری کو تین سال مکمل ہونے پر تحریکِ انصاف کی جانب سے 5 اگست کو ملک گیر احتجاج کی کال دی گئی۔
لاہور میں کارکنوں نے ایوانِ عدل کے باہر احتجاجی مظاہرہ کیا۔ پی ٹی آئی رہنماؤں کے مطابق احتجاج کے دوران ایوانِ عدل کے باہر سے تقریباً 20 کارکنوں کو… pic.twitter.com/IDWarrugBW
— Voicepk.net (@voicepkdotnet) August 5, 2026
She said they would continue to stand in solidarity until their leader was released. She said that the call was given across Lahore for everyone to particpate and all the provincial leadership was present. “But there was an atmosphere for intense fear al around,” she said. “We have looked past that and have recorded our protest despite the pressures we are facing.
She said that the workers were ready to also travel to Peshawar where the main rally was being held.
A private television court reporter, Natiq Rehan, who was covering the demonstration, was also allegedly assaulted by police and taken into custody before being released following the intervention of fellow journalists. PTI said those detained included Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mubeen Arif Jutt and Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) Tashakkul Abbas Warraich, Hassan Iqbal Butt, and Owais Warraich. Police has not immediately commented on the allegations or confirmed the reported detentions.
Background: Arrest of workers and military courts
The crackdown on PTI came after the protests of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024, thousands of workers and leaders were arrested. While some have been released, anti-terrorism cases are registered against many workers, and several workers have also been sentenced by military courts.
In 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared Imran Khan’s imprisonment political and illegal. Although he was acquitted in the Cipher and Iddat cases in January 2025, he and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 14 years (7 years for Bushra Bibi) in the Toshakhana/NAB case, and in December 2025, they were sentenced to 17 years each in another case related to state gifts.
In a recently issued statement, Amnesty International, has said that Pakistani authorities have been depriving Imran Khan of the right to a fair trial for the last three years.
‘He has been kept in illegal solitary confinement and has been deprived of his family for 8 months and his lawyers since December 2025,” read the statement. “Furthermore, his eyesight has been severely affected.’
Amnesty demanded his medical examination, restoration of meetings, and an end to solitary confinement.
In December 2025, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture also described the poor conditions of Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi’s imprisonment as below international standards.
An international journal (NIKKEI Asia) wrote in its special report that “despite three years of imprisonment, Pakistan’s ruling class has failed to diminish Imran Khan’s public influence, and the ruling coalition’s expectation that the former prime minister would be forced into a deal for his release has been proven wrong.”
The current government and key members maintain the position that all cases against former Prime Minister Imran Khan are entirely within the judicial domain and contain no element of political revenge. The government’s stance is that no one in the country is above the law and all decisions are being made by an independent judiciary on merit. The government is ready for talks for political stability, but unconstitutional demands will not be accepted under any circumstances, while PTI’s protest calls have been termed an attempt to spread chaos against the economy and national security.
Karachi protest
For the third time in just six days, the gates of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) have been closed to those who wish to express their views. A venue long regarded as a symbol of free expression has, on three separate occasions, become inaccessible whenever protests against government policies were expected. The same happened on Wednesday when the protest by the PTI was announced.
On Wednesday, long before any PTI supporters had gathered, the roads around the Karachi Press Club presented a deserted appearance. Barricades stood where demonstrators would ordinarily assemble, while the familiar space outside the press club fell silent. Protesters had yet to arrive, but the restrictions were already in place, raising questions about whether the response was aimed at maintaining public order or preventing dissent before it could even begin.
KPC’s first closure came on July 31, when all roads leading to it were blocked ahead of a protest announced in support of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC). Access to the club’s premises was denied not only to demonstrators but also journalists faces restrictions.
The same measures were repeated on August 2, with the Press Club once again sealed off and restricted to express.
“The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are guaranteed in principle,” said a member of the press club off the record. “Yet, in practice, restrictions appear to come into force whenever demonstrations are expected against the government or actions of the authorities. The message being given to us is that protests are acceptable—provided it is not directed at those in power.”