PTI granted permission for Lahore rally at Kahna after LHC ruling

DC Office issues permit, saying rally will take place at Ring Road Kahna instead of Minar-e-Pakistan

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has received official permission from the district administration to hold a rally at Lahore Ring Road, Kahna on Saturday, September 21, subject to compliance with 43 conditions.

This approval comes following a directive from the Lahore High Cort, which ordered the district administration to make a decision on PTI's rally request by 5pm.

The Deputy Commissioner’s office issued the permit, specifying that the rally will take place at Ring Road, Kahna instead of the originally planned Minar-e-Pakistan venue. The PTI has been authorised to hold its gathering between 3pm and 6pm.

Among the 43 conditions, one required Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to issue a public apology for his “vitriolic” remarks during the party’s Islamabad rally on September 8.

The conditions also specified that groups of supporters from outside the city should refrain from disrupting daily life, and that no anti-state slogans would be tolerated.

Additionally, PTI members currently on trial for hate speech related to the Islamabad rally would be barred from appearing on stage, and no proclaimed offenders would be allowed to participate in the event.

The organisers were held responsible for ensuring that any proclaimed offenders were apprehended. Failure to do so would result in charges of aiding and abetting those individuals.

Moreover, the conditions prohibited the broadcast or display of any audio or video messages from proclaimed offenders or convicts.

The NOC further cautioned organisers to take comprehensive security measures in and around the venue, citing overall security concerns and threat alerts from various sources, as the rally was being held at their behest.

Meanwhile, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), announced that the party has been granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the Lahore rally scheduled for September 21.

"I am grateful to the district administration for issuing the NOC," Barrister Gohar stated.

He urged, "I request all party workers and supporters from across the country to attend the rally in large numbers."

Barrister Gohar also appealed to the administration, "Please ensure that there are no roadblocks tomorrow, so that the public can reach on time and we can conclude the rally as planned."

He further called on PTI workers to participate in the rally peacefully, emphasising, "I request everyone to arrive at the venue by 1pm, so that all proceedings can take place on time."

"This is a message from our founding chairman Imran Khan, urging all workers to attend the rally," he added.

In his final appeal, Barrister Gohar requested, "I ask the people of Lahore and Punjab to join the rally in large numbers."

Earlier in the day, the opposition leader of Punjab, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, along with several members of the Punjab Assembly, visited the Minar-e-Pakistan site only to find the gates locked and a heavy police presence barring their entry.

The district administration, in a proactive move, has restricted public access to Minar-e-Pakistan by locking all gates and placing containers on the access roads. A significant police deployment has also been stationed at the site.

Meanwhile, PTI's preparations for the Lahore rally have entered the final stages. A convoy led by Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur is scheduled to depart from Swabi tomorrow morning. The PTI leadership has instructed each candidate to bring along 500 supporters.

The convoy, headed by the chief minister, will carry machinery to remove any obstacles encountered on the route.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Information Adviser, Barrister Saif, confirmed that all preparations for the Lahore rally have been completed. "A sea of people from Swabi will head towards Lahore," he declared, urging the government not to create hurdles for the rally. "Maryam Nawaz should keep her composure," he added.

It is noteworthy that the Lahore High Court had earlier dismissed a petition seeking to block the rally, stating that it was inadmissible. The court directed the Deputy Commissioner to decide on PTI's application by 5pm, as per the law.

Incarcerated PTI founding chairman Imran Khan, during an informal conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail, warned that if the government denied permission for the Lahore rally, "we will turn the rally into a protest." He added that if the rally was blocked, "the entire nation will protest at Minar-e-Pakistan."

Khan asserted that the rally is intended to "protect democracy and freedom," a right endorsed by the Supreme Court but repeatedly obstructed by the government. He criticised the government's approach to rallies, questioning why obstacles were set up at previous gatherings, despite assurances. "If the Deputy Commissioner of Lahore does not permit the rally, we will protest at Minar Pakistan," he reiterated.

Comparing the current situation to former president Musharraf's era, Khan noted that even during martial law, political rallies and media freedom were not as severely restricted. "Musharraf's elections were freer and fairer than theirs, and he did not impose bans on the media and rallies," Khan remarked.

Khan concluded by criticising the government's selective approval process, stating, "Their requests are being heard, while ours are being rejected."