Lahore admin closes educational institutions, markets on PTI rally route

District administration met with PTI's leadership to discuss the rally, its route and security arrangements

LAHORE:

Commissioner Lahore Chaudhry Muhammad Ali Randhawa on Monday ordered all educational institutions and markets that are located on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) rally route to close by 12pm on Monday.

On behalf of the commissioner, secretary schools, higher education, deputy commissioner Lahore and secretary implementation and coordination were also informed about the decision.

After deferring it twice, the PTI a day earlier had finally received a conditional nod for staging its election rally on Monday (today).

On the directions of Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, the Lahore district administration met with the party’s leadership to discuss the rally, its route and security arrangements.

Read Imran postpones PTI rally after Section 144 'illegally' imposed in Lahore

The district administration, however, imposed a condition that no PTI leader would give a statement against the judiciary or any other institution.

Earlier, the former prime minister had postponed the party's election rally after the Punjab caretaker government imposed Section 144.

The former premier said that "it seems again Sec[tion] 144 has been imposed illegally solely on PTI election campaign as all other public activities are ongoing in Lahore".

He claimed that "only Zaman Park has been surrounded by containers & heavy police contingent."