LAHORE Chief Justice Lahore High Court Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry on Wednesday clamped a ban on holding protest rallies, processions and gatherings at The Mall, Lahore while disposing of a petition moved by traders association of the Mall. The Court also directed the Punjab government, through Chief Secretary and the Inspector General of Police to ensure compliance with the court order with regard to restricting processions etc at the Mall and allocating alternative place to the people at the earliest for rallies and protests of any kind. It said the traders of the area faced permanent nuisance as well as huge damage to their business due to protests and rallies. The court warned the IG police that it will be considered contempt of the court if the police failed to implement the ban orders on The Mall. The CJ disposed of the petition with these instructions. A provincial law officer on behalf of the Punjab government submitted that the government has taken note the problems faced by the traders and all protest rallies on The Mall have already been banned but there are loopholes in the implementation. He said legislation for the purpose of plugging the loopholes was under process and following that holding any protests at the Mall Road would become unlawful. judgment reserved: A Division Bench of Lahore High Court Wednesday reserved judgment on a petition which challenged the entry test for admission to the medical colleges. The bench comprising Justice Ch. Shahid Saeed and Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan during the course of proceedings observed that education policy for admission to medical colleges needs to be amended so as to guard the interests of the poor students who are not able to spend money on separate preparations for the entry tests in costly mushroom institutes made for the purpose.