PTI's Lahore Rally Draws 1,500, Largest Arrests in Punjab Focused on Rawalpindi amid Police Crackdowns.

During the nationwide PTI protest on August 5, the party’s Lahore rally drew roughly 1,500 participants. Police actions at the march were heavy, with arrests concentrated in Rawalpindi. According to preliminary party data, 15 workers were booked in one FIR and two in another, all from Rawalpindi and also from Chakwal, Sargodha, and Talagang. In Khushab, about 28 workers were detained under the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance, while in Sargodha authorities used a mix of detentions and FIRs. Arrests were also reported in Layyah, Lodhran, Rahim Yar Khan and Mianwali. The party is still compiling the total number of FIRs and arrests across Punjab. The party’s Lahore chapter has faced criticism for a modest turnout and a perceived organisational weakness following the shift to independent district protests. One PTI leader said the issue should be discussed in the next meeting, arguing that the city’s chapter has consistently failed to mobilise a respectable crowd. Another leader described the rally as a decent gathering, estimating the turnout at around 1,500 people, and noting the significance given fears of an extensive police crackdown. The party’s secretary general has reportedly sought a report on the Lahore rally, though it is unclear whether this is part of a broader review of the nationwide protests. The protests were held to mark the third anniversary of the incarceration of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Overall, the August 5 events highlighted both PTI’s strong performances in Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Khushab and Sahiwal, and the challenges faced in Lahore and other districts where police crackdowns limited participation. Party leaders have called for a review of the Punjab chapter’s performance following the modest outcomes and high numbers of arrests.