Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan has voiced his opposition to the party’s plan to hold a protest at D-Chowk in Islamabad during the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. During an appearance on Express News‘ program “Center Stage,” Khan expressed concern over the timing of the demonstration, stating, “In my personal opinion, there should not be a protest during the SCO meeting. However, if we are continually pushed against the wall, then we will have no option left.”
Despite these concerns, PTI’s political committee has reaffirmed its decision to stage a large-scale protest at D-Chowk on October 15, coinciding with the SCO summit’s opening day. Following an emergency meeting, PTI Secretary of Information Sheikh Waqas Akram announced that all organizational heads have been instructed to mobilize for the demonstration, which is seen as a response to what the party describes as oppression by the current government.
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The PTI leadership has canceled planned protests across Punjab to focus on the D-Chowk event, citing the need to challenge “illegitimate rulers” who they accuse of stealing the people’s mandate and violating the Constitution. The committee also raised concerns about the treatment of PTI founder Imran Khan, who is currently imprisoned, alleging that his health and safety are being endangered.
In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly criticized PTI’s protest plans, labeling the party as “chaos-mongers” intent on creating disruption during the SCO summit. During a speech at the Police Lines Headquarters in Islamabad, Shehbaz praised the police for their efforts in thwarting previous PTI protests and warned against a repeat of the 2014 protests, which led to significant damage and disrupted the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
