DC denies permission to Imran of using helicopter

Deputy commissioner refuses to grant permission for use of helicopter

LAHORE: Citing security reasons, Gujrat district administration has denied permission to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan of landing his helicopter in a private property in Punjab’s Gujrat district where a PTI membership drive is set to kick off today [Tuesday].

The PTI’s probable candidate from the Punjab Assembly’s PP-28 constituency, Chaudhry Zubair Ahmad Khan, had submitted an application to the Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa to provide security to the PTI event which will be addressed by Imran Khan.

In the application, available with The Express Tribune, Ahmad informed the deputy commissioner that Khan would reach Gujrat by helicopter and travel by road to other areas of the city and later back to Islamabad.

The party had requested district administration to make arrangement for the security of these events and grant permission for use of helicopter and sound system. However, the deputy commissioner refused to grant permission for use of the helicopter.

Reacting to the move, a PTI MPA Shoiab Siddiqui said Khan will reach Gujrat on Tuesday [today] and the party will not accept any hurdles in its membership drive event.

He said Punjab government has already issued threat alert about the PTI chief’s security, adding that Gujrat DC should perform his duties, instead of creating hurdles for pleasing the rulers.

“The PTI will not compromise on the security of Khan. If any untoward incident happened due to the negligence of the government, the Punjab government will be held responsible,” he said.

He said the PTI will hold membership camps from Tuesday to Thursday and Imran will also visit these camps arranged at Jalalpur Jattan, Lala Musa, Kharian and Saray Alamgir.