In response to local authorities‘ restrictions and guidance from party leadership, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has postponed its rally at Islamabad’s Tarnol Chowk.
Originally planned for an earlier date, the event is now rescheduled for September 8.
The decision was made after senior PTI leaders Omar Ayub Khan, Azam Swati, and Barrister Gohar met with Imran Khan at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. After the meeting, Swati and Barrister Gohar confirmed the new date and announced that security measures would be in place.
They also mentioned that PTI’s Islamabad chapter, led by Aamir Mughal, would obtain the required permissions for the event.
PTI expressed concerns that the government might use the rally to provoke unrest. Initially, PTI had planned to proceed with the march to Tarnol Chowk despite the Islamabad district administration’s refusal to permit the rally.
The chief commissioner issued a notification regarding this decision based on recommendations from the District Intelligence Committee.
This committee, chaired by the chief commissioner and attended by the Islamabad inspector general of police and deputy commissioner, discussed the NOC for the rally.
The IG raised security issues due to concurrent events, including a suspicious bag found at the rally site and the presence of the Bangladesh cricket team in the capital, which complicates crowd management.
Recent incidents, such as protesters approaching the Supreme Court, also contributed to the decision to withdraw the rally’s permission due to heightened security concerns.