Several arrested as govt imposes Section 144

Lahore Press Club was set as a venue for a debate between Maulana Jalali and Dr Mir

LAHORE: Law enforcement personnel remained alert and vigilant in order to maintain law and order, while avoiding any untoward situation around the Lahore Press Club.

On Thursday, Labaik Ya Rasool Ullah chairperson Ashraf Asif Jalali had challenged Senator Dr Sajid Mir, a religious leader of Ahle Hadith, to a debate in front of the press club over changes in Khatam-e-Nabuwwat laws.



After the imposition of Section 144, police arrested several protestors. Contingents from Police Station Kotwali surrounded the area and the cops claimed to have arrested 45 people, including the leader of Tehrik Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) Maulana Jalali. A man outside the LPC, while talking to The Express Tribune, said since he was a diehard supporter of Dr Jalali, he was here to support his leader.

“I don’t know what the actual issue is between them (Maulana Jalali and Senator Dr Mir), but it is some kind of religious matter,” he said. “We are not here to create any law and order situation.”

Law enforcement agencies had already stopped Dr Mir at his office, located on Ravi Road, over potential threats to the law and order situation and did not allow him to proceed to the Lahore Press Club. However, Maulana Jalali somehow managed to reach the venue and his supporters shouted slogans against Dr Mir.

Later, the leadership of TLYR announced a long march on November 6 and 7 from Lahore to Islamabad over a “conspiracy” against Khatam-e-Nabuwwat laws. Meanwhile, a statement issued by Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith said Dr Mir was ready to leave for the LPC, but law enforcement agencies had requested him to stay put to avoid creating a law and order situation in the city. The statement further said that Mir would face anyone in a confrontational debate, but police had stopped him so another date could be announced.



In the wake of ongoing protests in Lahore against changes in Khatm-e-Nabuwwat laws, the government of Punjab imposed Section 144 in the provincial capital for the duration of one month. The section has been imposed by Additional Chief Home Secretary Azam Suleman. During this period, a ban would be observed on sectarian and faith-related debates and speeches from October 12 to November 9.

According to the notification, no one would be allowed to exchange views or opinions at public gatherings regarding Khatm-e-Nabuwwat or any other sensitive matters related to religion. Deputy Commissioner Lahore Imran Maqbool confirmed that Section 144 was imposed last night.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2017.