The Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) on Tuesday refused to grant permission to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for holding a public rally at the Greater Iqbal Park on December 13 apparently owing to the growing coronavirus threat.
PML-N leaders Samiullah Khan, Senator Rana Maqbool, former Lahore Mayor Colonel (retd) Mubashir Javed, Raja Khurram and Imtiaz Elahi had requested the district administration to allow them to organise a public meeting on their party’s call under the banner of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
Lahore DC Mudassar Riaz Malik told the opposition leaders that he could not give the permission owing to the second wave of the pandemic.
“The Punjab government will make a decision on their [opposition leaders] application and district administration will implement it,” he said.
The DC asked the opposition leaders about the implementation of safety guidelines on Covid-19 during the rally to which they could not give a “satisfactory” reply.
The deputy commissioner reminded the opposition leaders that it was the decision of the previous regime of the PML-N that no public rally would be held at the Greater Iqbal Park.
PML-N leader Mubashir Javed pointed out that recently Khadim Rizvi’s funeral, and earlier, Minhajul Quran’s convention was held at the same venue.
“Considering the precedence, the PML-N should be given permission for holding a public rally at Greater Iqbal Park, he said.
It was further revealed that due to the spread of the contagion, permission for holding a rally at any other venue in Lahore will also not be given.
Following the meeting with the DC, another PML-N leader Samiullah Khan said the government’s permission for the rally did not matter.
“We have completed the formality for seeking permission and will hold the public rally at Greater Iqbal Park in all circumstances.”
Khan maintained that the PDM’s December 13 rally would be a historic and decisive one and cautioned the government against trying to create hurdles saying the entire city would turn into a venue similar to that of Multan
The PML-N on November 4 had officially announced its decision to hold a public meeting in Lahore on the instructions of party supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Later, on November 10, a letter was written to the Lahore district administration requesting a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the purpose.
The letter that conveyed PDM’s decision not only sought an NOC for holding a rally at Greater Iqbal Park but also asked for appropriate security measures in view of the participation of senior political leaders.
Later, expressing her reservations, Punjab PML-N spokesperson Azma Bukhari said other parties were allowed to hold gatherings at Greater Iqbal Park but when it came to the PML-N and PDM, the government spoke about a legal bar.
She said the PML-N did not need any permission from the government and would move ahead according to the party decision.
Azma cautioned the government against stopping the rally saying it would only make matters worse for the incumbent regime.
Asked if the PML-N would proceed with its initial plan to organise the public meeting at the Greater Iqbal Park, she said the party would hold a meeting in view of the latest development and devise its future strategy.
She stressed that the PDM would hold the rally where it would announce its long march against the “incompetent and tyrant” regime.
PML-N Senator Rana Maqool, who had written the letter to seek permission for the rally, and was part of the delegation, also vowed to hold the public gathering saying “the rally will be organised at Greater Iqbal Park, come what may”.
He refused to acknowledge that the district administration had flat-out denied permission for holding the rally.
“Before we draw any conclusions, we will have to keep in our minds the statement of the federal information minister,” he said.
“In view of the federal government’s position on PDM rallies, district administration will come around and work some way out with us in the coming two to three days,” he added.
Referring to the Multan rally, Maqbool said the opposition hoped that the government had learnt a “lesson” from it.
The PML-N leader observed that they had already purchased 500,000 masks and added that sanitisers would be kept at the entrance points of the Lahore public gathering.
Moreover, several partitions will be created at the venue of the rally to ensure some distancing, he said.
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