Both the opposition and the government have claimed “success” over the Feb. 8 strike call issued by the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan (TTAP), with the former declaring it a referendum against the rulers and the latter dubbing it a total failure.
In a statement posted on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar dubbed the opposition alliance’s call for a wheel-jam and shutter-down strike as a total failure, maintaining it had not drawn the desired public response. Declaring that the people had rejected “politics of hatred, chaos and division,” he maintained that normal movement and commercial activities continued nationwide.
Similarly, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Secretary General Muhammad Humayun Khan also called the strike a complete failure, emphasizing that the public had rejected “politics of chaos and coercion.” In a statement, he said business centers that operated on Sunday had continued operations without any issues, proving the people were prioritizing stability, economic recovery and public welfare over political disruption.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, in a posting on X, wrote: “ZERO protest/strike/shutter down in Punjab.” Federal minister Amir Muqam of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) also claimed that the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkwha wanted development, not shutdowns.
By contrast, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)—the singular largest party in the opposition alliance—claimed the protest had reflected public unity in support of the restoration of the party’s “stolen mandate,” release of political prisoners, judicial independence and constitutional supremacy. It also thanked citizens, party workers, traders, lawyers, students and laborers for their support.
The party’s secretary general, Salman Akram Raja, said the strike was a “constitutional method to express irritation with the system,” declaring it a day of mourning for the “stolen vote and terrorism.”
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi congratulated supporters for the “successful” strike, and urged continued peaceful resistance.
Ground realities
According to local reporters, despite the opposition’s claims, the strike had limited impact with the majority of market and trade closures linked to the weekly Sunday holiday, rather than any demonstration. Nonetheless, some parts of the country did see protests, including Islamabad.
While markets, business centers and transport services continued per normal in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the opposition staged a brief protest near Faisal Masjid, led by Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. TTAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai, however, did not attend, as he was participating in the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore.
The Punjab capital saw little appetite for any protest, as residents were largely busy with the last day of Basant festivities. In other parts of the province, most traders refused to participate in the protest, dubbing it damaging for economic interests.
Sindh, meanwhile, saw reduced traffic on some roads and a few partial closures of markets, with opposition parties staging rallies in Sukkur and Khairpur. However, the response was largely muted.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, ruled by the PTI, also saw limited impact, with many markets, shops and transport services continuing per normal. During the day, there were some scattered reports of PTI supporters attempting to block roads and force market closures. In Peshawar, Shangla, Mansehra and nearby districts, there was a partial observation of the strike. However, reports suggest Mardan, Lower Dir, Abbottabad, Karak and Chitral largely rejected the call.
Balochistan, meanwhile, saw the maximum observation of the strike, with major cities such as Quetta, Pishin, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Khuzdar, Mastung and Gwadar all witnessing protests and closure of businesses.