By WEB DESK: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced the cancellation of its highly anticipated public gathering initially slated for April 6 at Islamabad’s Parade Ground.
According to media reports, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan conveyed the decision on Wednesday via a post on X, citing the significance of Laylat-ul-Qadr — the revered night Muslims observe during the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.
Encouraging supporters to pray for the release and safety of all party members, including PTI founder Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi, Khan emphasised the spiritual importance of the occasion.
The decision to forego the gathering comes after PTI’s earlier declaration of staging a significant demonstration at Parade Ground to advocate for the release of its founder, who has been incarcerated since August last year on various charges ranging from corruption to divulging state secrets.
In a recent ruling, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had instructed federal authorities to permit PTI’s public assembly in the capital.
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Highlighting the significance of the right to assemble, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq stated during a March 27 hearing that “One’s right of assembly cannot be taken away” in response to PTI’s plea for permission to organize a public rally in Islamabad.
The decision to halt the planned demonstration comes on the heels of significant relief granted by the court just two days earlier, as the IHC suspended the sentences of Khan and Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana case.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq mentioned on Monday that the appeal against their conviction would be scheduled for hearing after the Eid holidays.
In January, Accountability Court Judge Muhammad Bashir had sentenced Khan and Bushra to 14 years in prison each in the Toshakhana reference, along with disqualifying the former prime minister for 10 years and imposing a fine of Rs1.57 billion — Rs787 million each — on the couple.
