PML-N, PPP to stage rallies at Liaquat Bagh

Admin issues SOP for holding public meetings at Pindi’s historically significant venue

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi’s district administration on Thursday allowed two major political parties – the PML-N and the PPP – to hold political rallies at historic Liaquat Bagh ahead of the February 8 elections.

Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema formally gave conditional permission to both parties after a high-level committee’s endorsement. The PML-N will hold a public meeting on January 27, while the PPP will conduct a power show Jan 28.

A new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued for Liaquat Bagh public meetings has asked the organisers to submit the list of those who will sit on the stage. There will be a ban on aerial firing, display of weapons and speeches against the state institutions.

According to the SOP, no worker will present flower bouquets to the leaders sitting on the stage for security reasons. Benches, flower plants and flower patterns will not be damaged, flower pots will not be broken, and flowers will not be plucked.

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In addition to the police security, the political parties will also have their security along with the stage. The participants will enter the venue by using walk-through gates. Barbed security wires will be installed at a distance of 30 feet in front of the stage for security reasons.

After getting permission from the DC, the representatives of both parties flanked by the local administration visited Liaquat Bagh to discuss arrangements.

Two years ago, the PPP and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held gatherings in Liaquat Bagh with the High Court’s approval, resulting in damages to its plants, benches, barriers, and the jogging track. As a consequence, they were slapped with heavy fines.

With a history marked by three instances of bloodshed, including the assassinations of prime ministers Liaquat Ali Khan and Benazir Bhutto, and firing during the 1973 public meeting of the Awami National Party (ANP), Liaquat Bagh holds significant historical importance.

Originally a dense forest around 500 years ago, Liaquat Bagh and its surroundings witnessed the settlement of the oldest Aryan tribe before the establishment of Rawalpindi. The flowing Nullah Leh, once a crystal-clear stream, added to its significance. Arya Mohalla, adjacent to Liaquat Bagh, still exists today.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2024.