By Staff Reporter
LAHORE: Opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has secured permission to hold a high-stakes public rally in the eastern city of Lahore on Saturday, setting the stage for a showdown between the government and supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
The city administration granted permission for the rally at Ring Road, with 43 standard operating procedures (SOPs), including a 2 pm-5 pm time limit. PTI leaders are seeking to extend the time limit to 11 pm.
The authorities have issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the rally but with 43 stringent conditions to ensure public safety and prevent unrest.
The organisers have been warned to take full responsibility in case of any untoward incidents, according to the NOC.
Among the conditions, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has been asked to publicly apologize for his inflammatory remarks during a party rally in Islamabad on September 8.
The NOC also prohibits the participation of supporters from outside the city, aiming to prevent disruptions to daily life. Anti-state sloganeering will not be tolerated, and individuals facing hate speech charges or proclaimed offenders will be barred from attending or participating on stage.
Organisers will be responsible for apprehending any proclaimed offenders, and failure to do so may result in charges of abetting wanted individuals.
Additionally, audio or video messages from proclaimed offenders or convicts will not be permitted.
The NOC cautioned organisers to take necessary safety precautions at the venue, citing concerns over the prevailing security situation and threat alerts.
“We are determined to make this rally a success,” said Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly. “We have not received the final SOPs draft and will reach out to authorities after its release.”
The approval to hold a rally in the country’s political heartland was granted after the Lahore High Court directed the PTI to submit a formal request to the city’s deputy commissioner. The court ordered the city administration to decide on the request by 1700 local time.
Authorities earlier in the day denied permission to Khan’s party to hold the gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan. Later they suggested an alternative venue.
The party of ex-premier Khan alleged a “massive crackdown” in Punjab province ahead of the planned rally in Lahore, after successfully holding a demonstration in Islamabad last week.
The PTI had been repeatedly denied permission to hold rallies across the country on security concerns and other reasons. However, thousands gathered in Islamabad on September 8 to demand Khan’s release from jail, where he has been held since August on charges including corruption and treason.
The party claimed authorities are targeting its supporters ahead of the Lahore rally, meant to pressure for Khan’s release from jail,.
Local media also reported that authorities plan to arrest around 3,700 wanted individuals and proclaimed offenders linked to May 9 mayhem cases during the rally, using Safe City cameras and artificial intelligence to identify suspects.
The PTI has faced a crackdown since protestors allegedly linked to the party attacked government and military installations on May 9, 2023, Khan’s brief arrest in a land graft case. Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested, and many remain behind bars awaiting trial. The military has initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
Khan, ousted in a parliamentary vote of no confidence in 2022, has denied all charges against him, calling them “politically motivated.”
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