Citizens stay indoors as protests continue

No single incident of violence was reported during protests in the city.

LAHORE: On Sundays usually people visit parks, restaurants and other resorts, but this Sunday the city wore a deserted look as residents remained confined to their homes due to protests and traffic blockades on main roads of the city.

The protests remained peaceful and not even a single incident of violence occurred in the city on Sunday. SP City Investigations Syed Karar Hussain while speaking outside the Shahdara police station said that they had conducted negotiations with the protesters.

"The police will not intervene if they remain peaceful. However, reserve police contingents were ready to deal with any untoward incident."

Protest rallies, strike in Balochistan

Gullu Butt thrashed

On Sunday evening, Shahid Aziz alias Gullu Butt, who rose to prominence during Model Town incident for breaking window-panes of vehicles, visited the protest on Mall Road. Just as he showed up, his presence infuriated protesters and some of the angry men tried to beat him up. Later, a few individuals rescued and helped him take a shelter at a nearby restaurant.

Vendors make the most of protests  

A large number of vendors, who were selling naan, ladoo, dry fruit and eggs, made the most of the protests on Sunday.

An egg-seller Ikram told The Express Tribune that he came out of his house late night to sell eggs. He said: "A man came to me and asked how many eggs I have. I told him about 100. The generous man paid me the money and asked me to distribute all the eggs among the protesters."

Traffic arrangements and police deployment

Since the protesters on Saturday attacked the houses of leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Sialkot, Islamabad, and Sheikhupura, police increased deployment around the residences of the Sharif brothers in Model Town and Jati Umra. They also closed all the roads leading towards the residences with containers.

Although police remained away from the protest sites, the force of investigations, operations and security wing, the anti-riot squad of Lahore police remained on standby.

The contingents of Punjab Rangers that were called in by the deputy commissioner on Saturday also remained on standby.



As far as traffic arrangements were concerned, 1,400 traffic wardnes, 40 inspectors, 12 DSP and SPs, under the supervision of CTO Rai Ijaz Ahmad, performed their duties to maintain traffic flow in the city.

They also set diversions on roads leading towards the protests.

The City Traffic Police Lahore also updated traffic situation on RASTA App and asked commuters to call 15 or use RASTA App for traffic updates. The motorway also remained blocked due to protests.

Protests are continued at Shahdara Morr, Imamia Colony, Manga Mandi, EME Scheme, Thokar Niaz Beg, Multan Chungi, Dubai Chowk, Allama Iqbal Town, Campus Bridge, Punjab Assembly, Bhatta Chowk, Baghbnapura, Daroghawala, Chungi Amar Sadhu, Babu Sabu, Jail Road, Data Darbar, Mozang, Allah Hoo Chowk and Johar Town.

The participants from across the city kept on joining the main protests in the form of rallies.

At protests sites, religious leaders sang naats and delivered speeches to engaged participants.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2017.