Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and supporters of Imran Khan on Sunday (Aug 3) staged a protest in New York’s Times Square, calling for Khan’s release. Addressing protests, Former deputy speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri said that millions of Pakistanis are leaving the country as no one wants to live in an open prison. Pakistani-Americans also took part in rallies in the streets of Chicago. Meanwhile, nationwide demonstrations in Pakistan are also scheduled to be held on August 5.
“Millions of Pakistanis are fleeing the country. No one wants to live in an open prison,” said Suri.
“730 days in a tiny death cell. Over 200 politically motivated cases. His wife, Bushra Imran Khan, is also being held under inhumane conditions. Children and families of party officials are being targeted. Addressing the protesters at Times Square, @QasimKhanSuri spoke about the actions taken against Imran Khan, his wife, and his political supporters,” PTI USA posted on X.
“This is all being done by a few government servants, who have unleashed a level of barbarism our country has never witnessed,” Suri said.
“We stand here at the crossroads of the world in Times Square to condemn state terrorism. We condemn fascism. The message from all overseas Pakistanis is that we stand with Imran Khan!” Chief Coordinator PTI NY Amjad Nawaz said in his speech.
Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Qaiser on Sunday (Aug 3) announced that all preparations for the nationwide protest on August 5 have been completed. Imran Khan, who was ousted from the office of the Prime Minister in April 2022, is facing multiple charges, including corruption and terrorism, for his involvement in the May 9, 2023, riots. He is currently imprisoned. The PTI has called for nationwide protests, calling for his release, and his political supporters.
Speaking at a press conference in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PTI leader Shahram Khan Tarakai, Qaiser, said that the protest will be peaceful and in accordance with the law.
“This movement is about justice, not confrontation. We want a fair trial of our leader’s [Imran Khan] cases based on merit,” he said, as quoted by Geo News. He also noted that August 5 is a significant date, marking the day Khan was arrested.
The protests come amid growing security concerns in Pakistan. The country has seen a rise in terror activities, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.