Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has announced a call for nationwide protests on Friday, along with a rally scheduled in Mianwali this Sunday.

In a video message, Gandapur stated that protesters would take to the streets in every city, demanding judicial independence, constitutional protection, and the release of the party’s leader. He said: “If it comes to asking for forgiveness, you will beg for it your entire life.”

This comes after the PTI rally in Lahore which ended abruptly, with Gandapur unable to reach the site on time. As the scheduled time for the rally ended, the sound system was shut down and the lights at the venue were turned off. Police took control of the stage, escorting PTI leaders off one by one using the light from their mobile phones.

It was PTI’s second public gathering after the Sangjani rally on September 8. A heavy police presence has been deployed around the venue, with barbed wire also laid out along the Ring Road.

Gandapur further declared, “Register cases if you must; we will free our leader and make him prime minister.” He added that the country should only have one Pakistan, criticising the existence of “two laws” and the deployment of containers to disrupt public movement. He accused opponents of creating a false narrative that roads were open.

KP CM Gandapur stated that those who have wronged his leader must first apologise to him. He added that they would seek accountability for the injustices they have faced, saying: “Do not expect us to apologise; discussions of apologies are pointless. If it comes to that, you will be begging for forgiveness your entire life. I am not a servant of the Punjab government to apologise, whether it’s the federal or Punjab government—apology is not an option.”

Gandapur announced that he would hold a rally in Mianwali this Sunday, followed by another in Rawalpindi. He said: “We will show them what rallies are all about.”