Ready for the show: 3,000 policemen to protect PTI rally

LAHORE:

City police finalised on Saturday a security plan for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rally to be held at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday.

Security branch SP, Capt (r) Malik Liaqat said 3,000 policemen would be deployed around the gathering to provide security to participants and the PTI leadership.

He said the police personnel would operate under the command of 60 station house officers, 20 deputy superintendents and three superintendents.

SP Liaqat said snipers had been deployed on buildings around Minar-i-Pakistan grounds.

He said the gathering would also be monitored through aerial surveillance.

He said Azadi Chowk would be closed for traffic and 60 traffic wardens would be deployed near the venue to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Chief Traffic Officer Tayyab Hafeez Cheema said three SPs, seven DSPs, 55 inspectors and 1,500 wardens would be on duty.

He said diversion plans for traffic from Minar-i-Pakistan had been finalised.

He said a parking plan for people going to gathering had also been finalized.

He said entrances to Lahore from Thokar, Bund Road. Gulshan-i-Ravi Road and Saggian would be closed for traffic from other districts.

He said people coming from Sabzi Mandi would park their cars in single lanes on ring roads while traffic coming from railway station will enter from Gate Number 1 and park cars at Guddi Ground.

The CTO said people from Lahore coming from Jail Road, Ferozepur Road, The Mall and Chuburgi would have to take the Lower Mall road and park cars in service lanes from Data Darbar to Taxali Chowk.

PTI arrangements

All arrangements for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) gathering on Sunday (today) have been completed, said PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhary on Saturday.

He said the party had assigned the arrangement to office bearers in its city organisation.

He said they had also been asked to ensure maximum participation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2014.