ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has completed plans to commemorate the nation-wide rallying of the May 9 mayhem anniversary.
In accordance with directives from Imran Khan, the party’s founder, a circular signed by PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan states that the party will commemorate the day with rallies at every provincial assembly constituency across the nation.
These party rallies will be led by ticket holders, elected officials, and party office bearers. In addition, Pakistani and PTI flags will be raised atop structures to mark the event.
Placards bearing the image of the former prime minister Imran Khan and the words “Prisoner Number 804” would be widely displayed. At the rallies, there will also be prayers for the PTI “martyrs.”
Nationwide protests were sparked on May 9, 2018, following Imran Khan’s arrest on the premises of the Islamabad High Court. Both private and public property was damaged during the riots, and crowds even targeted military sites.
Subsequently, the authorities began cracking down on people demonstrating against Mr. Khan’s arrest. They were located using video and cell phone tracking, and military courts were used to start their trials.
The PTI reported that nearly 10,000 of its employees had been detained, but the government insisted that it had only detained a small number of individuals.
The PTI claimed that the riots were a false-flag operation orchestrated by the establishment to split the party, in addition to contesting the military court proceedings in the Supreme Court.
The majority of PTI leaders were detained during the crackdown, and several of them later announced their split from the party in news appearances.
