ISLAMABAD: Opposition parties have finalised plans to stage protests on February 8 against the alleged rigging in the 2024 general elections.
Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) has given final touch to the launch of a Jail Bharo Tehreek and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) announcing a public rally in Rawalpindi.
TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that the call for a nationwide protest on the second anniversary of the elections would not be withdrawn under any circumstances. He urged citizens to observe a complete shutdown on the day, which falls on a Sunday, and hinted that a court-arrest movement could be announced as part of the protest strategy.
Mr Achakzai was speaking while chairing a meeting of the TTAP leadership, attended by Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Zubair Umar, Asad Qaiser, Dr Ammar Ali Jan, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai, and Advocate Khalid Chaudhry.
The meeting decided to observe February 8 as a Black Day and ensure a nationwide strike. Participants announced the formation of 10 committees at international, national, and provincial levels to ensure the success of the protest. They described Feb 8 as a day of national humiliation, alleging that the public had been deprived of its right to choose representatives.
Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that his party would hold a rally in Rawalpindi on February 8 to protest the alleged election rigging. JUI-F Rawalpindi spokesperson Hafiz Ziaullah said the party chief would address the gathering.
He described the 2024 elections as an attack on the public mandate and said the resulting government would be rejected through public mobilisation. Preparations for the rally have begun, with instructions issued to party workers to ensure maximum participation. The venue, initially proposed near the old airport, is likely to be finalised after a party meeting on January 31, following which permission will be sought from the district administration.
It is worth noting that Section 144 remains in force in Rawalpindi, banning public gatherings until February 6, and any application for permission would be reviewed by the district administration and forwarded to the Punjab government for approval.