PTI Calls Nationwide Shutdown in Pakistan After Imran Khan Sentencing

New Delhi: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party led by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, has announced plans for a nationwide protest and shutdown. The move comes after a court on Saturday sentenced Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison in the Toshakhana-2 corruption case.

PTI says the sentences are politically motivated and unfair. The party wants Khan and his wife released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. PTI leaders have urged supporters to take to the streets, warning that they will block roads in every city and town if their demands are ignored. 

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, while addressing party workers, said the agitation was being launched on direct instructions from Khan. 

"We have clear directions from Imran Khan. Enough is enough, now it's time to hit the streets," he said.

Why is PTI pushing for protests now?

Imran Khan has been in prison since August 2023 on multiple charges that his party says are aimed at weakening its political influence. The latest sentence in the Toshakhana-2 case has sharpened tensions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government. 

PTI officials describe the protest call as a "final constitutional push" to put pressure on the government for Khan's release. They want large turnout across provinces and intend to paralyse normal life if authorities do not respond. 

How has the government responded?

So far, the federal government has defended the court ruling as legal and evidence-based. Officials have not yet commented on the shutdown threat directly, but in past nationwide protests they have deployed security forces and imposed restrictions on movement to prevent violence. 

Authorities in previous protests have at times restricted mobile services and blocked highways to pre-empt unrest. 

How are people reacting on the ground?

PTI supporters in several cities have expressed readiness to join demonstrations. Street rallies and gatherings have already been reported near key sites such as Adiala Jail, where water cannon and crowd dispersal methods were used in recent days to control crowds. 

What happens next?

PTI has scheduled protests in the coming days, with mobilising orders sent out across provinces. It remains unclear how many people will join or how authorities will respond.