Raiwind rally: No talk of conflict as PTI readies for march

Party leaders, authorities meet on a positive note at spot visit

LAHORE: With just a week left before the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Raiwind rally, meetings between the party’s leadership and local authorities to chalk out security and event arrangements are moving on a positive note. This has been going on without apprehensions of a potential conflict in Lahore – the political hub of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.

As part of the arrangements ahead of the anti-government rally to be held on September 30, PTI’s leadership has made multiple spot visits to Adda plot on Raiwind Road.

The party officially announced the venue on September 21, after which meetings between the party’s leadership and the authorities have initiated.

Inspecting site

On Friday, a delegation of PTI leaders, including MPAs Mian Aslam Iqbal and Shoaib Siddiqi while district presidents of PTI Lahore rural and urban, Zaheer Abbas Khokhar and Waleed Iqbal along with the CCPO, Lahore commissioner, DIG operations and DCO visited the site.



Adjoining areas, including the Bhuptian Chowk, the cross-section before Adda plot, as well as roads leading to the protest site were jointly visited by both the parties.

While addressing the media, Lahore DCO Captain (retd) Muhammad Usman said a request for holding the event had been received and that there was no question of permission not being granted. He added relevant measures will have to be taken in consultation with the party leaders. However, he said the party should adhere to the code of conduct that is established. DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf said that all vacant plots and parking areas surrounding the protest site will be secured, as well as traffic arrangements will also be in place.

Zaheer Abbas Khokhar, president of Lahore rural, also wrote a letter to Lahore DCO, requesting for security for the September 30th rally in which PTI Chairperson Imran Khan will address the gathering. The letter has sought “administrative support and security arrangements” from the DCO.  While speaking to journalists at Adda plot, Khokhar and Iqbal said the protest would be peaceful and that no one intended to make their way towards Jati Umra. It was also decided that roads leading to Jati Umra would be blocked by containers.

Plans, schedule

The issue of blocking roads leading to the protest site — something practised by the district authority during the party’s September 3 rally in Lahore at Charing Cross — was also addressed during the meeting. While the party has been assured this would be avoided during the September 30 rally, leaders said the party has made arrangements to counter the situation, including exploring legal and political options.

PTI Lahore Urban General Secretary Hammad Azhar said meetings between party leaders as well as the district police officials were progressing positively with several rounds of talks expected in the coming days.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Azhar said two meetings had so far been held, with the first at the CCPO’s office while the second on the protest site on Friday. Among the decisions made so far, the party has been asked to provide volunteers along with police officials who will work on providing security at the two entrances of the venue.

The authorities have asked PTI to strictly adhere to their proposed timings for the political gathering. The proposed timings run from 4pm to 10pm.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2016.