Pakistan: PTI’s nationwide protests and shutter-down strike continue; mourning observed for victims of the Islamabad blast.

Islamabad [Pakistan], February 8 (ANI): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser said the party would hold nationwide protests today, marking the second anniversary of the 2024 general elections, and also observe a day of mourning following Friday’s suicide bombing in the capital, Dawn reported.

Clarifying the party’s stance, Qaiser told Dawn on Saturday that rumors of the protests being canceled or postponed were baseless, adding, “The fact is that we have decided that this day will be observed as a national day of mourning. Simultaneously, protests will be held across the country against the rigging of the general elections.”

Placing the significance of February 8 in a broader national context, he said the day was about more than just the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or its founder Imran Khan.

“This is a day when the entire nation was deprived of democracy and the right to choose its representatives. We will protest against the injustice done to the people and observe a complete shutter-down strike,” Qaiser said, according to Dawn.

Outlining the party’s roadmap beyond today’s protests, Qaiser further stated that the PTI and the Tehreek Tahaffuz Ain-e-Pakistan opposition alliance would continue their efforts to re-establish democratic norms and uphold the rule of law even after February 8. He said that approximately 10 committees have been formed at the international, national, and provincial levels to mobilize public support and ensure the success of the protests.

Reiterating his criticism of the electoral process, he emphasized, “February 8 was a day of humiliation for the entire country, as people were deprived of their fundamental right to choose their representatives.”

Echoing the same sentiment, PTI Islamabad President Amir Mughal said in a separate statement that the party would observe a day of mourning while simultaneously holding protests, Dawn reported. Linking the law enforcement action to the recent security lapse, Mughal said, “It is unfortunate that the Islamabad police and other law enforcement agencies were busy day and night trying to crack down on PTI workers and arrest them to foil the protest.”

He claimed that this focus led to a weakening of security arrangements, resulting in the attack on the Imambargah.

“If the police had focused on the security of the capital, the suicide bomber would not have been able to enter the city,” he added.