Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has finally obtained permission to host a Jalsa on Saturday in Lahore, following a day of back and forth.
This occurred following the intervention of the Lahore High Court, which permitted the rally to be held at Kahna’s Link Road rather than the party’s chosen location, the historic Minar-e-Pakistan.
When PTI MPAs and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, arrived to the Minar-e-Pakistan site, they discovered the gates were sealed and there was a significant police presence preventing them from entering. This started the dramatic day-long event.
Lawyer Nadeem Sarwar filed a plea at the LHC to stop the PTI demonstration on Saturday. But the plea was denied by the LHC’s three-member bench.
Furthermore, PTI leader Aliya Hamza and others filed a second petition before the LHC pleading with the court to intervene and provide permission for the demonstration.
Roads leading to the site were blocked from entry by containers, but because of their size, traffic was disrupted, making conditions worse for drivers.
There were also large police contingents stationed around the Minar-e-Pakistan premises.
Five PTI members including Yasir Gillani, Malik Afzal, Fazal Khan, Amir Gillani, and Fazal Dad , were also ordered to be detained. They will be imprisoned in Kot Lakhpat Jail for 30 days.
Prior to the Lahore Jalsa, some fifty PTI activists were recently arrested by the police.
