Lahore - Opposition parties were determined to hold an anti-government protest today in Lahore, though the administration had refused to allow it citing ‘security threats’ and public inconvenience, while the Lahore High Court was also to decide if the demonstration should be allowed on The Mall.
All the major opposition parties, particularly the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Peoples party are going to participate in the Pakistan Awami Tehreek-led demonstration, which is supposed to serve as the starting point of an agitation against the Pakistan Muslim League government.
The protesters seek resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah as they hold them responsible for the killing of over a dozen PAT supporters in a police shootout almost three and a half years ago.
In a related development, an LHC division bench yesterday advised the chief justice to form a larger bench to decide on a PAT petition seeking inclusion of former PM Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz, Rana Sanaullah and others as prime accused in Model Town case.
At the protest demonstration, if held, the tragic rape-cum-murder of a Kasur girl – Zainab – is also expected to be the subject of speeches of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PTI chief Imran Khan, PAT chairman Tahirul Qadri and others.
The Faisal Chowk, venue of the demonstration, had been secured by containers, barbed wires and metal sheets. Inside this fortification, stage was being prepared and chairs placed for the participants.
Apparently, the administration did not stop the protest organisers from the making arrangements yester night but some official sources said force could be used today to prevent the holding of the event, as the government insisted that protests on The Mall were not allowed in the light of an earlier court order.
According to a PAT announcement, the leaders and delegations from PTI, PPP, PML-Q, Jamaat-e-Islami, Pak Sarzameen Party, Awami Muslim League (AWM), Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) and Majlise Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) will attend the “one-day” protest.
PAT Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri, addressing a press conference, said the next strategy for protest to get justice on Model Town killings will be announced on the day of the agitation.
“PAT has devised the future strategy to overthrow the PML-N government and it will be announced tomorrow [today].”
He confirmed the participation of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the protest.
“There will be one container tomorrow. Both Imran Khan and Asif Zardari will share the container,” he stated.
Besides, Imran and Zaradri, PML-Q leader Ch Parvez Elahi and AML President Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed will also attend and address the protestors.
Qadri warned Punjab government against taking any action regarding their “decisive protest.”
He assured that the demonstration will not violate the laws: “Protest will be carried out within the limits of the constitution and law.” He said protest aimed at overthrow PML-N government which failed to provide justice to families of innocent people killed by Punjab police. “The PML-N’s ministers and officials involved in Model Town incident would have to go now.”
Earlier, Qadri presided over the joint meeting of steering committee and action committee held to devise the protest strategy. Steering committee comprised leaders from opposition parties was formed to devise overall future strategy of the protest movement on Model Town issue while action committee comprised of leaders from the same parties was formed to make plan for Wednesday’s protest.
PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira and Manzor Watoo, PTI’s Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan, AML President Sheikh Rasheed, PML-Q’s Kamil Ali Aga and Ch Zaheer, JI’s Liaqat Baloch and Mian Maqsood, SIC Sahibzada Hamid Raza and MWM’s Nasir Sheerazi attended the meeting.
It was decided the protest will formally begin at 12PM and there will be two sessions of the protest—one from 12pm to 5pm and second from 5pm to 10pm.
The city’s main thoroughfare, Mall Road, has been blocked for traffic by placing containers at Faisal Chowk and the protest venue was extended to GPO Chowk, a few hundred meters. At least 30 sofas and 200 chairs were placed for the leadership at the stage which is around n 80-ft long.
Punjab government summoned three companies of Pakistan Rangers to provide security to the vital buildings housed at The Mall which included Punjab Assembly, Wapda House, Punjab CM House, GPO and Lahore High Court. The provincial government also announced that the educational institutions located at and in the vicinity of Mall Road will remain closed on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, business community expressed reservations over the insufficient government action against those who hold protests on Mall Road. They said their businesses were almost ruined due to almost daily basis protest at The Mall. They appealed the government to stop protestors from holding agitation at Mall Road, suggesting some other venues for agitations.
Plea against protest
During the hearing on a petition by local trader Naeem Mir against PAT protest, the Lahore High Court issued notices to government, IGP and deputy commissioner to appear in court today by 9am.
Justice Shahid Jamil Khan and Justice Shahid Karim Khan were the other members of the bench. Earlier, a full bench under Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan refused to hear the case. Later, the CJ formed another full bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan.
On Monday, A court of Justice Shahid Karim rejected the plea of a lawyer seeking directives for PAT and other political parties not to. However, the judge had suggested the CJ to form a large bench on the subject matter for its legal significance. On August 13, 2014, a full bench of the LHC barred the PAT and PTI from holding ‘unconstitutional march’ against the government when both parties announced ‘Azadi March’.
During yesterday’s press talk, all four government reps hinted at ‘miscreants’ entry into the venue of protest. They also cited the PAT violent sit-in at Islamabad in 2014, suicide attack on pharmacists’ protest on The Mall last year and recent public rage after rape and murder of a little girl in Kasur.
They appealed to protesters to be peaceful but warned against any kind of unlawful action. “The government will protect life and property of citizens,” they maintained.
Security ‘threat’
The Punjab government has warned Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) about security threats, reported Sajid Zia from Lahore.
“We have told PAT about public problems in general and security threats in particular during protest,” Punjab Government Spokesman Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan told the media.
Flanked by provincial minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Bilal Yasin and Khwaja Imran Nazir, he feared such a protest might be violent.
“The government respects the constitutional right to protest of a party but not at the cost of peace. The government urged PAT to choose any other venue like Nasser Bagh but the party refused to budge,” Malik said.
“The government has made clear everything to PAT,” he said, recalling Lahore High Court’s ban on any kind of protest on The Mall. He said a demonstration at such a busy point creates serious problems for traders. He also warned against provocative speeches. Khwaja Imran said as precautionary steps, hospitals are put on high alert. They questioned the justification of the rally when the case was in the court.
Power show in Lahore today