Tensions Rise Ahead of PTI's February 8 Protest

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urges PTI to reconsider its protest on February 8, warning of state intervention. Former PM Imran Khan appeals to the Supreme Court over alleged rights violations and electoral fraud. The protest marks the anniversary of last year’s disputed elections.

Pakistan's Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, announced on Saturday that the government plans to ask the imprisoned ex-prime minister Imran Khan's party to rethink its scheduled protest on February 8. Should the party dismiss the request, the government is prepared to take action.

Naqvi's remarks came during a visit to the Mega Passport Centre on Peco Road in Lahore, as reported by The Express Tribune. The minister emphasized similar requests had been made to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the past, particularly on November 26, with another plea forthcoming prior to the February 8 demonstration.

Ahead of this protest, Khan called upon the Supreme Court to utilize its constitutional power to defend Pakistanis' fundamental rights, highlighting human rights abuses, electoral fraud, and the detention of party workers in a detailed 349-page letter addressed to top judicial figures.

(With inputs from agencies.)