Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk on October 15, coinciding with the day the country is set to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the capital. The demonstration aims to demand the release of the imprisoned former prime minister.
In a statement on X following a political committee meeting on Friday, PTI said, “We announce the cancellation of the protest in the districts of Punjab in view of the preparations for the peaceful protest of D-Chowk on October 15.”
Pakistan will host the two-day SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting on October 15 and 16, with international leaders from the bloc gathering for the summit. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is also scheduled to visit Islamabad as part of the event.
The SCO, which includes major regional players such as India, China, Russia, and Pakistan, as well as Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, is a key economic and security organization.
In preparation for the summit, the Pakistani government has deployed army troops in Islamabad to ensure security and maintain order during the high-profile event.