LAHORE: The PTI’s much-awaited Lahore power show seemingly met an anti-climactic end as lights went out and police personnel cleared the stage after the 6pm deadline expired following some speeches from leaders to supporters at Kahna in the provincial capital’s Ring Road area on Saturday.
Footage showed PTI supporters and leaders clearing the stage, leaving it empty.
Earlier, supporters took out their cellphones and used them to light up the rally venue while the party announced on its YouTube livestream that even the sound system was turned off due to the conditions of the no-objection certificate.
“The last breaths of the revolution! At 6:38pm,” said Punjab minister Marriyum Aurangzeb in a dig at the party rally while sharing images of the empty stage.
Similarly, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari termed the event the “PTI’s funeral”.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub had not arrived at the venue by the time of the deadline’s expiry.
Addressing a press conference soon after the rally’s end, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar called it a “flop” and said the PTI failed to deliver on its promises.
“They talked a lot about the Lahore rally and promised so much. Just like in Islamabad, the Lahore rally flopped.”
The minister maintained that all roads in the provincial metropolis were open and the PTI had “free access” to enter the city.
“Ali Amin Gandapur came via the M2 and was never stopped at Attock,” Tarar said.
“We gave them a free hand and ensured their security. Even with all this preparation and after all this time, they failed to galvanise their followers from across the country,” Tarar said, alleging that PTI’s supporters “want the nation to fail” and that they have nothing to protest about.
“Inflation is now in single digits, why are you taking out protests? The PTI want to spread destruction and anarchy across Pakistan,” the minister said.
“Their press conferences only have one purpose: to free their leader so he can get an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordnance).”
Footage shared earlier by the party showed throngs of people at the rally venue as the stage filled up with PTI leaders.
The stand-off between the PTI and the Punjab government ended late last night, as the former was finally granted permission to hold the rally, subject to compliance with 43 conditions.
The party had earlier sought permission to hold its much-anticipated gathering at the iconic Greater Iqbal park that houses Minar-i-Pakistan. However, it was allocated Kahna along the Lahore Ring Road.
According to videos shared by PTI, party leaders including Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandpur were en route as they tried to “open” their way to Kahna.
In a video posted on X by PTI, CM Gandapur led the way himself as party workers got past the blockages near the Attock toll plaza.
“Our convoy will meet KP CM […] and then, god willing, we will go towards Lahore,” Ayub said in a video message posted on X.
While responding to a question about roadblocks and hindrances along the way, the opposition leader said: “We have machinery, we will open the way and go. No one can block us.”
In a post on X just before 3pm, when the rally was scheduled to begin, provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed that PTI had failed to fill even “three dozen” seats.
She claimed the party had shown “fake and outdated videos” of the previous rally, adding her party would release the original scenes this time so there was “no doubt”.
Videos shared by the PTI Lahore account purportedly showed its leaders and workers heading from various areas of Punjab and KP to Lahore.
However, it claimed that the Rajana interchange was blocked off to traffic.
Detention orders issued for 5 PTI leaders
Earlier today, Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Musa Raza issued detention orders for five PTI leaders, including its Lahore Vice President Akmal Khan Bari.
According to the order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, five PTI leaders were to be detained for 30 days from the date of arrest under sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (MPO).
The PTI leaders comprised Shahzaib Khan, Akhtar Munna, Mazhar Shah, Raja Shafiq and Bari, the order said, adding they were “prejudicial to the public safety” and MPO.
“They create problems for the law enforcement agencies and incite the public through their objectionable speeches,” it said, alleging that the leaders were always at the forefront to destroy public peace, and law and order.
‘43 conditions’
The Punjab government has set “43 conditions”, one of which is a public apology from CM Gandapur for his widely condemned speech at PTI’s Islamabad gathering on Sept 8.
While the PTI team said it refused to guarantee an apology, Insaf Lawyers Forum President Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan said Gandapur “may clarify his position during his speech at the Lahore power show”.
Another stipulation is that the rally be held between 3pm and 6pm. However, Ishtiaq Ahmad said the PTI team did not agree to this and the deputy commissioner agreed that the government would not force this condition.
An officer in the Chief Minister’s Office told Dawn that the government had officially decided to allow the PTI to hold its power show but would make ‘clandestine’ efforts to reduce the turnout from outside Lahore.
The permission letter carrying 43 conditions made organisers responsible for ensuring stage security, security of male and female enclosures, emergency exits, measures for avoiding and controlling stampedes and adequate parking by hiring private security and volunteers.
One restriction stated that mass public rallies from outside of the city should not disturb life within Lahore. It also stated that no anti-state or anti-institution sloganeering and statements be made during the power show.
Another condition stated that all those facing cases for hate speech at the previous Islamabad rally should not be allowed to participate or appear on stage. It also said no proclaimed offender would participate in the public meeting.
Similarly, no Afghan flag would be allowed to be hoisted and no “Afghan-paid manpower” to be brought to the rally. Another condition mentioned that in case of any untoward incident, the organisers would be held responsible.
The rally had been a bone of contention since July when PTI initially sought permission for the public meeting.
The Punjab government eventually allowed the PTI rally after the Lahore High Court’s three-member bench ordered DC Raza to decide on the PTI application by 5pm yesterday.
