• Opposition parties, including the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), have called for nationwide protests in the country under the banner of ‘Black Day’ on February 8.
• Protests will be held against the allegedly rigged election outcomes on February 8, 2024. The exact timing and locations of protests by the PTI are yet to be announced, at the time of writing.
• The PTI earlier sought permission to hold a protest at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan on the day. However, the status of the permission remains unclear, as of writing.
• Similarly, the chief of JI, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, announced nationwide protests on the day. In Karachi, JI supporters will hold a protest outside the Election Commission. The exact time of the demonstration remains unspecified at the time of writing.

1. Turnout at the slated nationwide protests is expected to vary according to the location. In Karachi and other cities of Sindh Province, it is expected to reach the mid-hundreds, considering JI’s mobilization capabilities in the region. In other major urban centers, including Lahore and Islamabad, it is anticipated to range in the low-to-mid hundreds. In Lahore, spontaneous gatherings by the PTI are anticipated in the vicinity of the Punjab Assembly and Minar-e-Pakistan. Similarly, in Islamabad, such impromptu assemblies are likely to occur near the National Assembly and D-Chowk, given their historical significance as focal points for PTI-led protests.
2. The authorities are expected to bolster security measures in the vicinity of the protest sites, particularly outside the Election Commission in Karachi, given its sensitive nature, to monitor proceedings. Additional police personnel will be deployed, and barricades will be set up near sensitive buildings in larger cities such as Lahore and Islamabad.
3. There is a latent risk of scuffles between the authorities and protesters, should the latter be perceived as engaging in disruptive behaviors, such as blocking major thoroughfares or attempting to breach security measures. The authorities will likely disperse protesters in such cases, using baton charges and temporary detentions. This risk is particularly pronounced in Lahore, where authorities have denied permission for a PTI gathering. Disruptions to vehicular traffic are anticipated in the vicinity of the protest locations due to the anticipated turnout and associated security measures during the protest hours on February 8.

Those operating or residing in Pakistan on February 8 are advised to maintain vigilance in the vicinity of protests across country, including in Karachi, due to the slated nationwide protests and associated risk of unrest while allotting for travel disruptions.