PTI workers flex muscles in Lahore

LAHORE:

Like their counterparts in the federal capital, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers in Lahore on Saturday also flexed their muscles as they defied all odds in a bid to hold protest at Minaar-e-Pakistan on the call of the party's founder.

The protests in the provincial capital started in the afternoon with the assembling of the PTI workers and lawyers at the Lahore High Court and GPO Chowk. As the crowd swelled, the police lobbed tear gas shelling to disperse the PTI members. The police, along with the Dolphin Force, were deployed in large numbers outside the court.

Meanwhile, the showdown between PTI workers and the police in different parts of the city led to several arrests and injuries. Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, was arrested near the railways station, while PTI's female leader, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema, was taken into custody at Minar-e-Pakistan's Azadi Chowk. In addition, eight PTI workers were also detained for chanting slogans.

To prevent a large-scale gathering in Lahore, the Punjab government employed extensive measures. The authorities imposed Section 144 to stop public assemblies and called out military and paramilitary forces to curtail the opposition's rally.

Provincial and local officials blocked major routes leading to Minaar-e-Pakistan, the M-2 Motorway and GT Road by placing containers and trailers. Key access points such as Azadi Chowk and Shahdara were sealed off, while barbed wire restricted smaller streets near Ravi Road. Police in plain clothes patrolled sensitive areas like the Azadi Flyover and Greater Iqbal Park.

Police also established a presence at other potential protest sites, including Liberty Market and Lalik Jan Chowk in DHA. Officers, along with prison vans prepared for arrests, were stationed around Minar-e-Pakistan. Despite these security measures, a group of students briefly gathered on Azadi Flyover before police quickly dispersed them.

The law enforcement forces made several arrests during smaller demonstrations across the city. In one incident, a woman managed to evade security and hoist the PTI flag on Azadi Flyover before being detained.

Despite much fanfare about a large protest at Minar-e-Pakistan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) senior leadership was nowhere to be seen in Lahore on Saturday, leaving the event to fall flat.

While the protest did not gather steam, the mere announcement of the demonstration kept law enforcement and provincial authorities on their toes.

During a press conference, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan explained that the absence of key party leaders was a deliberate tactic to avoid arrests, especially with upcoming assembly sessions.

He mentioned that many PTI lawmakers had been detained during previous protests, leading to a more cautious approach.

In preparation, the Punjab government took extensive measures to prevent a large gathering, anticipating strong participation based on earlier protests in Islamabad.