Sunni Ittehad Council reaches outskirts of Lahore

All roads leading to Data Darbar closed as long march approaches city.

LAHORE: The Sunni Ittehad Council’s long march has reached Lahore, while all roads leading to Data Darbar have been closed.

The SIC has organised the long march to protest against attacks on Shrines across the country.

The long march from Rawalpindi to Lahore had hit a major Punjab government roadblock on Saturday, as the planned mass protest failed to swell beyond a small trickle.

Sunni Ittehad leaders accused the provincial government of conducting a mass crackdown and arresting thousands of activists.

The government denied that any arrests had been made and insisted the police were there only to provide security and maintain law and order.

Senior Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab, Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa assured that no Ulema taking part in the march had been arrested.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, Khosa said the participants of the march had been provided with dinner on the order of Shahbaz Sharif. He said that strict security measures had been taken on the route of the long march and said that the participants had been stopped on Saturday night due to security concerns.