September 22, 2026
By Fauzia Kalsoom Rana
ISLAMABAD
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General and senior lawyer, Salman Akram Raja, recently stated that PTI’s September 27 protest will not be limited to Islamabad, instead people across the country will come out in their respective areas to raise their voices for constitutional, fundamental and human rights, whereas the central convoy may also head towards Islamabad.
Raja was speaking in an interview with Munizae Jahangir on her official podcast channel and added that PTI was not closing the door on negotiations, but he felt that there was currently no seriousness or sincerity from the other side regarding dialogue.
“PTI wants Imran Khan to be directly included in any negotiations,” he said. “There can be no political solution while keeping him aside.”
Central convoy may head to capital city
Regarding the PTI protect scheduled to begin on September 27, Salman Akram Raja said it would not be confined to a single city or location.
“A central convoy from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or another part of the country may travel towards Islamabad,” he said. “People in different parts of the country had also been asked to come out of their homes and peacefully raise their voices for their fundamental rights.”
He said it was not necessary for millions of people to gather at one place, adding that small and large gatherings and demonstrations across the country could also convey a political message.
However he said that while PTI’s position was that citizens had a constitutional right to freedom of movement and peaceful protest, there must be no vandalism, stone-pelting or violence during the protest.
The purpose of the protest
Salman Akram Raja said the primary objective of the September 27 protest was not limited to Imran Khan’s release, but also included demands concerning human rights, constitutional supremacy, justice and political prisoners.
Referring to Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi, Dr Yasmin Rashid, Imaan Mazari, Hadi Ali Chattha and others in detention, he said PTI was demanding justice for all of them.
“People should raise their voices against the ongoing oppression in the country,” he said.
Recent detention: “There were no charges”
Speaking about his recent detention, Salman Akram Raja said there were no charges or cases against him and that he considered the incident an “abduction” rather than an arrest.
He said he had been travelling to Kotli Sattian to attend a condolence gathering when police stopped his vehicle.
He alleged that police officers hit the vehicle with sticks and detained him at a police station for approximately four and a half hours, saying that the purpose was to prevent him from attending the condolence gathering.
Raja also claimed that more recently, hundreds of PTI workers had been detained during the preceding week. He said cases had been registered against some, while others were being held at police stations and the whereabouts of some individuals were allegedly unknown.
“No seriousness for negotiations”
Regarding negotiations, Salman Akram Raja said PTI had not closed the doors to dialogue; however, he said he did not see any clear willingness or sincerity from the other side to engage in negotiations.
He said PTI was prepared to discuss a transparent electoral system, an independent judiciary, the cases of political prisoners and other constitutional and political issues.
Referring to the negotiations held in December 2024 and January 2025, Raja said PTI had at that time also demanded commissions to investigate the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024. However, he said there had been no practical progress.
He said simply telling the other side to “stay at home and do nothing” could not be considered negotiations. PTI’s fundamental position is that Imran Khan should be directly involved in all negotiations and that no political compromise or solution could be reached while keeping Imran Khan aside.
Asked about any possible political offer concerning the provinces, he said no such clear offer had been made to him.
Concerns over Constitutional Court and Supreme Court jurisdiction
Discussing the judicial system, Raja expressed serious reservations about the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court and changes to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
According to him, the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction had been restricted after certain cases were transferred to the Federal Constitutional Court. He said that completely separating constitutional matters from ordinary laws could create practical difficulties because questions concerning fundamental rights and constitutional interpretation also arise in different types of cases.
Salman Akram Raja said the division of jurisdiction between two superior courts could create further complications in the future.
He also criticised the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court through the 27th Constitutional Amendment. He said his objection was not to the concept of a constitutional court itself, but to its establishment, the method of appointing judges and the scope of its powers. He said the process of judicial appointments was extremely important for judicial independence.
Raja said that if an impression of political influence emerged regarding the appointment of judges to the constitutional court, questions would be raised about judicial independence.
Article 239(4) and the creation of new provinces
Regarding the creation of new provinces, Salman Akram Raja referred to Article 239(4) of the Constitution. He said a two-thirds majority of the relevant provincial assembly was required for altering the boundaries of a province. If the constitutional position of the provincial assembly were removed, it could affect the foundations of the federal system, he said.
He expressed concern that attempts to secure the required majority by persuading members of different political parties to switch sides could create a major political controversy.
Responding to the proposal of creating new provinces through a referendum, Salman Akram Raja said the Constitution provided a specific procedure for the creation of provinces and alteration of their boundaries. He said attempting to bypass or change this constitutional procedure through a referendum would raise constitutional questions. He said that if a court decision were used to alter a procedure specifically provided in the Constitution, it would create a serious issue for the constitutional system.
Proposal for a presidential system
On the presidential system, Salman Akram Raja said changing the parliamentary system would require a constitutional amendment. He said the basic constitutional structure could not be changed through a constitutional court. The Constitution assigned separate jurisdictions to Parliament, the executive and the judiciary, and that eliminating these boundaries could affect the constitutional balance.
Salman Akram Raja said the Constitution was the fundamental document of any nation and that constitutional amendments were an extraordinary process.
Raja said that if decisions were obtained through a constitutional court and then used as a basis for attempting to change the entire constitutional system, it would undermine the status of the Constitution. Instead of changing the Constitution according to political requirements, its fundamental principles should be protected.
He said that under the current circumstances, the question of constitutional and legal supremacy could not be ignored.
Action in Aid of Civil Power Law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Asked about the Action in Aid of Civil Power law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Salman Akram Raja said he considered the law wrong.
He said that if the PTI provincial government could repeal the law, it should do so through the provincial assembly within its jurisdiction. He said that instead of keeping people in detention centres for extended periods, they should be produced before courts. He said that if judicial orders existed concerning people detained under the law, those orders should be implemented.
“Military court trials of civilians is wrong”
Regarding the trials of civilians in military courts, Salman Akram Raja said he was opposed to the practice in principle.
He said that a constitutional amendment in 2014 had allowed trials of civilians in military courts under specific circumstances and that the arrangement was later extended.
According to him, when the PTI government came to power in 2018, this legal and constitutional arrangement was already in place.
Salman Akram Raja said objections had been raised against military trials of civilians in the past as well, and that he continued to believe that civilians should not be tried in military courts. He said that under the current circumstances, if a civilian was sent to a military court under military laws, there must be a clear constitutional and legal basis for doing so.
“Even if PTI violates fundamental rights, we will stand against it”
Salman Akram Raja said the principle of human rights should not be limited to any one political party. He said that if PTI came to power in the future and took any action against fundamental or constitutional rights, he would also speak out against it. He said society had a responsibility to defend human rights and constitutional freedoms regardless of political affiliation.
Controversial remarks about women
When asked about the controversial remarks concerning women made by PTI leader Shafi Jan, Salman Akram Raja said the statement was inappropriate. He added such remarks should not have been made and that he did not defend the statement.
Salman Akram Raja said people from different backgrounds were part of the party and that one of his roles within the party was also to bring different people together. However, he made it clear that insulting or inappropriate remarks about women should not be considered acceptable.
Regarding women’s political participation, Salman Akram Raja said women had played an important role in PTI’s political struggle. Referring to Dr Yasmin Rashid, Alia Hamza and other women leaders, he said female workers and leaders had played important roles at various stages of the party’s political journey.
He said the party’s policy was clear regarding respect and dignity for women and that the concept of political and social justice could not be complete without women.
He said that inappropriate statements by individual members of a party comprising millions of people could not automatically be described as the policy of the entire party. However, he acknowledged that such statements should also be discussed within the party.
Tension between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Regarding recent statements involving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and political figures from Punjab, Salman Akram Raja said, in his view, the issue should not be viewed through a “Punjabi versus Pashtun” lens. He said that if the chief minister of one province travelled to another province and was treated inappropriately, it would raise questions concerning federal relations.
However, he described Shafi Jan’s remarks as a separate issue, saying that the words used were inappropriate and should be condemned.
Salman Akram Raja said one issue was constitutional and federal in nature, while the other was ethical and political, and therefore the two matters should be considered separately.
September 27 narrative
Regarding the narrative surrounding the September 27 protest, Salman Akram Raja said PTI’s position was clear: the party would raise its voice against what it described as injustice and oppression in the country.
Referring to Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and other detained individuals, he said the party linked these cases to fundamental rights. Raja said politicians should seek political solutions in difficult circumstances and that PTI was also prepared for a political solution.
However, he said any such solution should remain within the framework of the Constitution, law and fundamental ethical principles.
He said that if a political party were asked to forget the cases of detained individuals and Imran Khan in exchange for political positions or concessions, he would not consider that an acceptable solution. He said that political negotiations were necessary in certain circumstances, but there were also matters where compromise on fundamental constitutional and human-rights principles was not possible.
“The protest should be peaceful; There should be no confrontation or bloodshed”
Salman Akram Raja stressed that the September 27 protest should remain peaceful. PTI’s objective was not confrontation or bloodshed, but to raise its voice regarding constitutional and fundamental rights.
He said that despite political differences, respect for the Constitution, law, human dignity and fundamental rights was essential.