LAHORE: The Lahore deputy commissioner has decided to grant permission to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold its much-hyped rally tomorrow (Saturday) in the provincial capital, while complying with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in line with the directives of the high court, a spokesperson for the local administration said.
However, the district administration officials are deliberating on the PTI’s request to organise its rally at Minar-e-Pakistan, the spokesperson added.
Sources told Geo News that the embattled former ruling party is likely to be given permission to hold its rally at Cattle Market Kahna.
Additionally, a security plan was being devised, they added.
Earlier today, the LHC had directed the PTI to submit a request to the city’s deputy commissioner (DC) for holding the rally in the provincial capital while ordering the latter to decide on it by 5pm today.
The directives came during a hearing on the plea seeking permission for holding a PTI rally at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan monument.
Justice Muhammad Tariq Nadeem and Justice Farooq Haider heard the plea filed by PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sheikh Imtiaz Mehmood.
The petitioners had moved the court earlier this week saying that the party had repeatedly been denied permission to hold rallies in Lahore on political grounds.
The Imran Khan-founded party has been trying to hold rallies across the country for months but had been repeatedly denied permission by authorities citing security issues and other reasons.
Although they managed to hold a public gathering on September 8 in Sangjani, Islamabad. The power show was soon followed by a crackdown against party leaders — some of who were even allegedly “picked” from within the parliament’s premises — for allegedly breaching the no objection certificate (NOC) issued by the administration as well as the “Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill, 2024” — a law which came into effect just a day ahead of the rally.
Meanwhile, party founder and former prime minister Khan has termed the rally, slated for tomorrow, a “do-or-die” situation saying that the country’s Constitution provisions the right to assemble.
“I ask the nation to come out for their future on September 21 in Lahore,” he had said while speaking to reporters in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail on Thursday.
During the hearing today, Justice Nadeem remarked that the records don’t show PTI leader Hamza’s submission of any application seeking permission for the rally as required by the law.
“Did [Aliya Hamza] give any application [seeking permission] for the rally?” the court asked the DC to which the latter replied in the negative.
When questioned about the PTI leader’s whereabouts, her lawyer Ishtiaq Chaudhry apprised the court that she was under house arrest.
On the matter of the Lahore rally, Justice Haider said: “Your [PTI’s] secretary general had asked permission for the meeting on September 22 [whereas] you have done so for September 21”.
“You should now apply [for rally permission] to DC [and] who will decide on the matter today,” the judge remarked.
Addressing the province’s chief secretary, Justice Nadeem suggested to do new legislation to allocate two or three places for holding rallies and public gatherings in Lahore where the political parties can gather without any issued.
Furthermore, Justice Haider inquired the Punjab inspector general of police (IGP) about the alleged harassment of PTI workers.
“No one is being harassed by us. We have issued no such instructions,” the police officer clarified.
Later, the court, while directing the Lahore DC to decide on the PTI’s request by 5pm in line with the laws, disposed of the plea.
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