Thousands protest in Pakistan to demand ex-PM Imran Khan’s release

Khan’s party holds a rally in Islamabad, marking its first show of strength since the disputed February elections.

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in the Pakistani capital, demanding the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has been behind bars for more than a year on what his party calls are politically motivated charges.

Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party organised the rally in Islamabad on Sunday, marking its first show of strength since the disputed national and regional elections in February.

Images and videos posted on the social media platform X showed Khan’s supporters marching towards the capital from various parts of the country.

“We will not rest until Khan is released from jail,” said Khan’s close aide Hammad Azhar in the opening speech that set the tone of the rally.

Khan is the only person who can save this country from the “clutches of corrupt and incompetent politicians”, said Salman Akram Raja, a prominent lawyer and PTI leader from Lahore.

The Islamabad administration had blocked key entry points into the city, with shipping containers and riot police deployed to prevent possible unrest. Social media videos showed dozens of PTI activists successfully pushing away containers to clear the way at one of the entry points.

“It was very difficult to reach the rally. All roads had been blocked. But we are determined. If there is a call from Imran Khan to protest and we don’t come, that’s not possible. We are with him till our last breath,” Robina Ghafoor, a PTI supporter, told Al Jazeera.

PTI said the authorities were harassing workers to suppress attendance at the rally. Visuals aired on local broadcaster Samaa News showed enraged attendees throwing rocks at riot police,