LAHORE   -  Following the intervention by Lahore High Court, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) finally got permission from the district administration on Friday afternoon to hold a public rally in Kahna area of Lahore.

According to a notification, the district administration has made it binding on the organisers of the rally to conclude their show by 6 pm starting from 3 pm. They have been directed to ensure security of men and women enclosures at the venue.  

Also, the notification says that KPK Chief Minister Ali Amin Gundapur will have to tender an apology over his use of indecent language in a September 8 rally in Islamabad.

The PTI had initially requested permission to hold the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan, but later on the party leadership agreed to hold it anywhere in Lahore.

Before granting the NOC for the Saturday’s public gathering the district intelligence committee reviewed the changing of the rally’s venue as the district administration evaluated the potential venues based on a police report.

Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the deputy commissioner to make a decision regarding the PTI rally by 5pm on Friday. The directive was issued during a hearing on a petition filed by PTI leaders Aliya Hamza and Sheikh Imtiaz Mehmood seeking permission for a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan. The case was heard by Justice Muhammad Tariq Nadeem and Justice Farooq Haider.

In a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the deputy commissioner, 43 conditions have been set for tomorrow’s public gathering. The PTI has been told that those under trial for hate speech from previous gatherings are prohibited from participating or appearing on the stage.

The conditions also stipulate that no anti-state or anti-institution slogans or statements may be made during the rally. The PTI is specifically instructed not to display Afghan flags or bring any Afghan-paid personnel to the event. Furthermore, any proclaimed offenders must not participate, and if they do, the event’s administration will be responsible for facilitating their arrest; failure to do so will lead to charges of abetment.

Earlier in the day, the Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, along with lawyers, met with the Lahore deputy commissioner to secure permission for the rally. Bhachar mentioned that the final draft of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) has yet to be released and that they would follow up with authorities afterward.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway, with a container arranged for KPK Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to travel from Swabi to the rally site in Lahore. He is also expected to address PTI supporters in Swabi before leaving for Lahore. Reports indicate that heavy machinery, including cranes and shovels, has been transported to the Peshawar Motorway to clear any barriers leading to the rally venue, citing police deployments at the KP-Punjab border.

Separately, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari stated that the people of Punjab are sensible and pay attention to the performance of the government instead of empty rhetoric. Therefore, the founder of PTI does not enjoy the support of the masses here. Asserting that the founder of PTI is not popular in Punjab. She claimed that only people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the Jalsa in Islamabad and they just talked about disintegrating the country and threatening institutions. Azma Bokhari mentioned that people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been holding rallies for six months while their province is in debt by a thousand billion rupees. Questioning how long they can deceive the public with false narratives.

She described them as ill-mannered and uncultured, acknowledging that Salman Akram Raja is educated but talks in the same tone as other PTI members. The Provincial Minister said that anyone who does not speak like the founder of PTI or Ali Amin Gandapur cannot stay in the party. Azma Bokhari added that inflation is decreasing in Pakistan and relief has been provided on electricity bills. She emphasized that a Chief Minister of one province has a mandate to serve the people of KPK, not to invade others.