Tucked away on a patch of dying grass on the outskirts of Islamabad, the gathering hardly looked like a political rally at the height of an election season.
There were no posters to promote a campaign, no microphones to deliver speeches, no sound system to amp up the crowd.
Even the candidate, Aamir Mughal, was missing: He had gone into hiding months earlier, at the first signs of a military-led crackdown on his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or P.T.I.
The authorities had already raided his home, arrested two of his sons and lodged a case against him in connection with anti-military protests.
in the first national election since the party’s leader, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, ran afoul of the generals and was ousted by Parliament in 2022.
Persons:
Aamir Mughal, ” Mr, Mughal, “, Imran Khan
Organizations:
”
Locations:
Islamabad, Pakistan