The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a protest demonstration in front of a private hotel in Gulberg where a large number of disgruntled MPAs of the ruling party were being hosted by the joint opposition.
PTI Information Secretary Musarat Jamshed Cheema, Lahore PTI President Sheikh Imtiaz, General-Secretary Zubair Khan Niazi, Senior Vice President Mian Akram Usman, Ali Imtiaz Warriach, Hafiz Zeeshan, Yasir Gillani and MPA Sadia Sohail Rana participated in the protest demonstration.
They chanted slogans against the disgruntled members and “turncoats”. They termed them traitors to the party.
Addressing the rally, Cheema and others said that the people had recognised the faces of those lawmakers who had “switched their loyalties for money”.
The PTI leaders said the party popularity had skyrocketed, and the people had become well acquainted with the trend of horse-trading and the foreign conspiracy against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the top brass of Lahore Police was held at the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) to deliberate upon the emerging “uncertain law and order situation”, the T-20 international matches, security measures for Ramazan prayer gatherings and Ramazan bazaars.
The meeting was chaired by the CCPO of Lahore, Fayyaz Ahmed Dev.
The Chief Operating Officer of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority, Kamran Khan, and other officers concerned attended the meeting.
Lahore DIG Operations Dr. Abid Khan briefed the CCPO of Lahore about the present law and order situation in the provincial metropolis, security arrangements made by Lahore police for the sacred month of Ramazan and for the Pakistan Australia T-20 match.
In view of the current political scenario, the meeting decided to beef up security in the city.
Dev issued directions in this regard.
He further directed the Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit and Elite Force teams to conduct effective patrolling around the important places while tightening the checking of vehicles and motorbikes at the entrances and temporary pickets of the city.
As far the security plan for the T-20 matches was concerned, over 8,000 police officers and personnel would be deployed.
The Lahore CCPO also directed the officers to make security SOPs more integrated.
Police should be on high alert in view of the sensitivity of the ongoing programmes in the city, the CCPO added.
The chief of the Lahore Police further said that for the security of the T20 match, CCTV monitoring and vigilance teams should work continuously in an effective manner.
Additional personnel should be deployed at the residential places of both the teams, routes and the Nishtar Sports Complex.
Temporary checkpoints should be extended at important points, and fresh and alert personnel should be deployed at these checkpoints and pickets.
The Lahore CCPO also directed the officers to double the number of monitoring boats on the canal during the T20 match.
The spectators would be allowed entry after going through checking at multiple points including physical frisking and going through metal detectors and walk-through gates.
The meeting also discussed protests that might erupt in the wake of the political crisis.
The Anti-Riot Force (ARF) was also told to remain prepared and to keep their gears in ready form.
The meeting also deliberated upon the security of the 32 Ramazan Bazaars.
Over 300 police officers would be deployed there.
In addition to it, 64 lady constables would also perform duties.
All the divisional SPs, 24 DSPs, 29 SHOs and 32 upper subordinates would supervise these security arrangements.
Those visiting the bazaars would be asked to pass through the walk-through gates and to be checked with metal detectors and physical search.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2022.
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