On October 17 and 18, 2025, Pakistan found itself at the center of a political storm as waves of protests erupted across the country, exposing deep rifts between the government, opposition parties, and the public. From the bustling streets of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the charged atmosphere in Lahore, citizens, political activists, and religious groups took to the streets, voicing their anger over government crackdowns and the perceived erosion of constitutional rights. The events painted a vivid picture of a nation grappling with its identity, priorities, and the delicate balance between state power and popular dissent.
According to Dawn, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), led by its founder Imran Khan, mobilized thousands of supporters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on October 17. The demonstrations were a direct response to what PTI described as an aggressive crackdown on the Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), a religious political party, including allegations of activist killings. PTI leaders also condemned the use of force against their own members during a march on Islamabad in November 2024 and the street protests of May 2023.
In Peshawar, outside the Press Club, PTI district president Irfan Saleem, alongside MNA Shandana Gulzar and other party officials, led a spirited crowd. They held up portraits of Imran Khan and chanted slogans against the federal and Punjab governments, accusing them of "cracking down on TLP workers and killing them." Saleem asserted, "This province belongs to Imran Khan, so no illegal action will be taken against anyone." He further argued that banning political activities in the federal capital and Punjab was both illegal and unconstitutional, a sentiment echoed by many at the protest.
PTI’s message was clear: all political parties, regardless of ideology, should have the right to peaceful assembly. Ikram Khatana, PTI’s deputy information secretary, told Dawn that workers came to the protest in organized rallies, assembling at the homes of Members of the National and Provincial Assemblies before marching together. The sense of unity was palpable, with leaders and workers standing shoulder to shoulder, undeterred by the threat of state intervention.
Simultaneously, in Shangla’s Shahpur area, PTI activists held another rally against what they labeled "unconstitutional and illegal" actions against TLP and other political forces. District president Liaquat Ali Yousafzai declared, "Until Imran Khan is released, the Constitution and the rule of law cannot be established in this country." The sentiment was echoed by Bisham tehsil council chairman Haji Sadeedur Rehman, who lamented that "the country’s largest party had been walled up," while "unelected people" were being ushered into assemblies by the security establishment. He alleged a deliberate sidelining of PTI and other political and religious groups, particularly in Punjab.
Alpuri tehsil council chairman Waqar Ahmed Khan went further, accusing state institutions of "trampling the Constitution" and imprisoning thousands of PTI workers and leaders to pave the way for rival parties, specifically the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). PTI leader Abbas Khan Zamkakhel called on the youth to "take to the field," insisting that Imran Khan’s vision for empowered young leadership would not be derailed.
The unrest was not confined to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In Mohmand’s Mian Mandi Bazaar, MNA Sajid Khan led a rally condemning the government’s crackdown on TLP, calling it "regrettable and tantamount to anti-national behaviour." He stated, "Innocent PTI activists were shot and martyred on Nov 26, with no action taken against culprits." The PTI leadership demanded a judicial inquiry into both the firing on TLP workers and the November 26 shootings, asserting that protest is a constitutional and legal right for every citizen. They warned the Punjab government to cease "oppressive actions or face serious consequences."
Amid the escalating tensions, PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan traveled to Dera Ismail Khan to meet former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur. Their hour-and-a-half-long meeting focused on party organization and the current political climate. Gohar praised Gandapur’s leadership, stating that PTI was proud to have "capable leaders like him," and highlighted Gandapur’s efforts to implement Imran Khan’s vision of a welfare-oriented State of Medina through practical reforms.
While the PTI and its supporters were making their voices heard in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a separate but equally significant protest unfolded in Lahore. According to News18, a peaceful pro-Palestine rally, composed of ordinary citizens, students, activists, and religious groups, was met with a harsh government crackdown. The demonstration, intended to show solidarity with Gaza, was dispersed by riot police using batons, arrests, and tear gas. The crackdown was ordered by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government and executed by General Asim Munir’s military-backed establishment.
This episode, as News18 noted, exposed what many see as the "moral bankruptcy" of Pakistan’s ruling elite. The government, already struggling with economic collapse and questions of legitimacy, appeared more threatened by peaceful public dissent than by the international crises it regularly condemns. The military, long self-styled as the "guardian" of the Islamic world, was criticized for its silence and complicity in repressing citizens rallying for a cause it claims to champion.
General Asim Munir’s silence on the crackdown did not go unnoticed. Critics argued that the military’s support for Palestine is little more than "performative rhetoric," a convenient foreign policy tool rather than a genuine commitment. The crackdown was interpreted as a signal to foreign allies—particularly the United States and Gulf monarchies—that Pakistan could be "responsible" and "controllable," prioritizing aid, IMF loans, and military deals over moral stands on justice.
For many Pakistanis, the events of October 2025 were not just about the right to protest. They were about the soul of the country—whether it would remain a place where dissent is crushed for political expediency, or one where constitutional rights are respected. The Lahore crackdown, in particular, was seen as a betrayal not only of Pakistani citizens but also of the Palestinian people, undermining decades of rhetorical solidarity.
As the dust settles, the baton charges may have dispersed the crowds, but the questions raised by the protests and crackdowns remain. Who truly speaks for Pakistan’s people? And can a government that silences its own citizens ever credibly claim to stand with the oppressed abroad? In the end, the events of these two days have left an indelible mark on Pakistan’s political landscape, forcing a reckoning with the values it claims to uphold.
