PTI rally approval pending intelligence and police reports: Lahore deputy commissioner

Decision on PTI rally to be made after reviewing intelligence and police reports, says Lahore deputy commissioner

The Deputy Commissioner of Lahore, Syed Musa Raza, has requested a report from District Intelligence regarding the approval of a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in the city.

The decision to grant permission for the rally will be based on the intelligence assessment and recommendations from Lahore police, which has also been asked for its input on the matter.

The request follows an order by the Lahore High Court, which instructed the deputy commissioner to decide on PTI’s application for rally approval by 5:00 p.m. today.

The court also dismissed a separate petition seeking to prevent the rally, with a three-member bench ruling the plea as inadmissible.

The petition, filed by Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, was dismissed with Justice Farooq Haider stating that the petitioner was not an affected party.

The final decision on the rally will be made once intelligence and police reports are reviewed to ensure public safety and order.

As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) prepares for a major rally in Lahore, the city’s police have been tasked with apprehending the remaining suspects involved in the May 9 incidents, when political unrest led to widespread damage and clashes.

The police have devised a comprehensive plan for the event, which will include strict security measures once the district administration grants permission for the rally.

To ensure maximum security, cameras will be installed at all entry points to the rally site, and officers stationed at these points will be equipped with photos and data of suspects wanted in connection with the May 9 incidents.

The police intend to monitor and record all activities at the rally, with a particular focus on identifying and arresting the remaining suspects.

This heightened security plan is part of the broader crackdown on individuals involved in the May 9 unrest, as the police aim to maintain order and prevent further incidents.

Amid heightened tensions, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced that it will proceed with its scheduled rally in Lahore on September 21 despite ongoing police raids, arrests and legal challenges.

Meanwhile, PTI's founding chairman Imran Khan in an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala jail, spoke about issue of government's permission for PTI to hold a rally in Lahore.

Imran claimed that refusal "will turn the rally into a protest. If the rally is stopped, the entire nation will protest at Minar Pakistan".

"For a year and a half, rallies have not been allowed in Lahore. Destroying democracy means ending freedom, and having a rally is our constitutional right," the PTI chairperson claimed.

The PTI founder further alleged the PTI's rally at Minar-e-Pakistan is "aimed at protecting democracy and freedom", and is endorsed by the Supreme Court, but is being blocked once again.