PTI allowed rally at Kahna under 44 terms

LAHORE: The Lahore district administration Friday granted permission to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold a rally at Ring Road in Kahna, but with 44 strings attached.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) had earlier directed the deputy commissioner to decide on the PTI’s application for permission by 5pm on Friday. Initially, there were reports suggesting that PTI’s rally would take place at Jallo Park. However, the official notification confirmed that the rally would now be held on Saturday (today) from 3pm to 6pm at Ring Road in Kahna.

According to the notification, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur must apologise for using inappropriate language during a previous rally on Sept 8. Additionally, the security arrangements for the rally would be the responsibility of the organisers.

Speaking to media, PTI leader Ishtiaq Khan remarked that the party could not take responsibility for Gandapur’s actions, stating that it was his personal decision whether to apologise. He further added that Gandapur would speak as he deemed appropriate. The approval comes with several strict conditions “aimed at ensuring the event remains peaceful and orderly”.

According to the official notification, available with The News, the permission was granted after PTI’s legal representative, Advocate Chaudhry Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, submitted an undertaking, making the party responsible for any disturbances during the event.

As far security concerns, the district administration placed a series of conditions on the event. Key requirements include maintaining separate enclosures for men and women, securing emergency exits, and hiring private security personnel to manage the crowd.

The organisers are also barred from allowing anti-state slogans or the participation of individuals facing hate speech charges. The use of Afghan flags and hired Afghan manpower is prohibited, and fireworks are strictly banned. Traffic management is another critical component of the conditions, with the organisers required to work closely with the district police and traffic authorities to avoid disruptions in the city.

Any breach of these rules could lead to legal action against the organisers. The district commissioner’s office stressed that security would be closely monitored and any lapses would be dealt with strictly.

Earlier, the LHC directed the PTI to submit a formal request to the deputy commissioner (DC) for permission to hold a rally in Lahore. The court ordered the DC to make a decision on the matter by 5pm. The directive was issued during a hearing on a petition, filed by PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sheikh Imtiaz Mehmood, seeking permission to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan. The case was heard by Justice Muhammad Tariq Nadeem and Justice Farooq Haider. The petitioners argued that PTI had been consistently denied permission to hold rallies in Lahore on political grounds.

The party has been attempting to organise public gatherings across the country, facing repeated refusals from authorities due to security concerns. During the hearing, Justice Nadeem questioned whether Aliya Hamza had submitted an application for the rally, as required by law, to which the DC responded in the negative.

Hamza’s lawyer Ishtiaq Chaudhry informed the court that she was currently under house arrest. Justice Haider also noted a discrepancy in the dates mentioned by the PTI for the rally and instructed the party to reapply for permission.

The court further advised the provincial government to consider designating specific locations in Lahore for political gatherings to avoid future complications. The petition was disposed of with instructions for the DC to decide on PTI’s request by 5pm on Friday, in accordance with the law.