LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf is holding a power show in Lahore, where prominent leaders of PTI are delivering their motivating speeches to showcase their unity with their leader Imran Khan.
Earlier, the district administration set 43 conditions for the public gathering, including a strict time limit from 3 pm to 6 pm.
The rally, initially planned for Minar-e-Pakistan, was redirected to Link Road, Kahna, after Lahore High Court’s intervention.
One of the key conditions is that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur must publicly apologize for his remarks at the Islamabad rally on September 8.
Additionally, PTI members facing hate speech charges from the Islamabad rally are barred from attending.
The administration has heightened security, deploying heavy police contingents and detaining five PTI leaders, including Engineer Yasir Gillani and Malik Afzal, for 30 days. Over 100 party workers have been arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Act, accused of spreading unrest.
Moreover, the Motorway Police have closed key sections of the M1 and M2 motorways due to a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Lahore, causing significant disruptions to travelers. To ensure security and maintain order, traffic on the M2 motorway from Chakri has been halted, while vehicles from Neela Dullah are being diverted to alternative routes.
In a recent development, PTI’s leadership has started its journey towards Lahore jalsa ground. Barrister Gohar, Aamir Mughal, and Shoaib Shaheen have departed from Rawat, bound for Lahore, despite motorway closures.
In a message to supporters, the PTI leaders appealed to join them via GT Road, emphasizing that the nation stands united behind the founder of Tehreek-e-Insaaf.
In a separate development, an Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad issued non-bailable arrest warrants for Gandapur in a terrorism case, rejecting his pre-arrest bail application. The court ordered him to appear at 10 am, citing consistent law violations.
The rally has sparked a deadlock between PTI and the Deputy Commissioner over its end time, with the administration pushing for 7 pm and PTI advocating for 11 pm. The event promises to be a tense showdown amidst the crackdown on PTI activists and leaders.
Imran Khan’s Tigers have started to gather in the jalsa ground where preparations are almost done, chairs have been set up for the public.
DC Lahore warns PTI to wrap up Lahore Jalsa
The Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) has warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) administration to wrap up its rally at Kahna, which was scheduled from 3pm to 6pm only.
The DC has also threatened legal action against the party administration for not adhering to the terms of the No Objection Certificate (NOC).
According to reports, prison vans are already in place outside the rally venue.
The PTI rally administration is currently in negotiations with district authorities after the 6 PM deadline has passed. However, the district administration has turned off the venue lights.
PTI Lahore rally: Police intervenes to prevent schedule violation
After exceeding the time allotted by the district administration, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) rally in Lahore faced law enforcement intervention.
The police and district officials contacted the rally organizers, urging them to end the rally as agreed on the allotted time, warning of legal action for violating the terms of the NOC.
As the event extended beyond the permitted time, the DJ switched off the sound system and lights, leaving the crowd in darkness. In response, attendees turned on their mobile phone flashlights, while some began to exit the venue.
The police also started to close the key entry points to the city, including Ring road, Motorway Babu Sabu Interchange, Shahdara, and Abdul Sattar Edhi interchanges, resulting in long traffic queues.
Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza stated that any violation of the NOC would be handled legally, as law enforcement officers followed directives to block key roads and manage the situation.
