PTI’s August 5 plan under wraps amid arrest fears: Sheikh Waqas Akram

Islamabad (ABN News) – PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram stated during ABN News program “Sawal Se Aagay” that internal discussions on the party’s August 5 plan are ongoing and details will be shared with the public at an appropriate time. He said PTI leadership and workers face a significant risk of arrests, while the government has repeatedly signaled full preparedness for such actions.

Sheikh Waqas Akram emphasized that PTI’s strategy is being kept confidential and will not be disclosed through the media, noting that August 5 is not an endpoint but rather a new high point in the ongoing political movement. He added that while everything is available on social media and the party has hidden nothing, young PTI workers are still being arrested. Despite this, they remain resolute in their struggle for constitutional and political rights.

He further explained that the task of making announcements was assigned to Mehmood Khan Achakzai because he is the head of the alliance, and historically, movements do not depend on a single deadline for success. According to Akram, PTI’s aim is not to challenge the system unconstitutionally but to raise its voice through peaceful and lawful means.

Commenting on the government’s restrictions, Akram said blocking the Islamabad march would not reduce pressure on the regime, and the refusal to allow a gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan reflects the government’s fear. He reiterated that PTI’s movement is not secretive but public, and it will be marked by sacrifices. The core of the movement, he said, will be “Tahafuz-e-Pakistan,” with all allied parties playing an active role.

When asked about the possible return of Qasim and Suleman to Pakistan, Akram said no confirmed information has been received yet. However, he condemned the denial of meeting rights with the PTI founder as illegal. Firmly asserting his stance, Akram declared that while parliamentary seats could be sacrificed, the party would never abandon its founder. The decision to allow anyone back into the party, he added, rests solely with the PTI founder, and those who once left are now pleading to return.