The confusion surrounding the reported return of PTI founder Imran Khan’s sons to Pakistan to lead a movement for their father’s release reflects the ambiguous and fraught nature of the issue itself. Officially, there appears to be no barrier to their arrival or their participation in political activity. The rights to assemble and protest are enshrined in the Constitution, cornerstones of any functioning democracy.

But in practice, the purpose and nature of protests often test the limits of these freedoms. With Pakistan........

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