LAHORE: The stand-off between the PTI and the Punjab government ended late on Friday, as the former was finally granted permission to hold today’s power show at Kahna along the Lahore Ring Road, rather than at the iconic Greater Iqbal park that houses the Minar-i-Pakistan.

The Punjab government has repertedly set ‘43 conditions’, one of which is a public apology from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for his inflammatory speech at a rally in Islamabad on Sept 8.

However, the PTI team, led by Oppo­sition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, said they refused to guarantee an apology.

“Mr Gandapur may clarify his position during his speech at the Lahore power show,” Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, president of the Insaf Lawyers Forum, told the media after the issuance of the notification at the deputy commissioner’s office.

Punjab govt sets ‘43 conditions’; wants those facing cases for ‘hate speech’ at Sangjani jalsa to be barred from stage

Another stipulation is that the rally be held between 3pm and 6pm. However, Ishtiaq Ahmad said the PTI team did not agree to this and the deputy commissioner agreed that the government would not force this condition.

The rally had been a bone of contention since July, when PTI initially sou­ght permission for the public meeting.

The Punjab government eventually granted approval following an order from the Lahore High Court’s three-member bench.

Mr Bhachar also called for the release of PTI leaders and workers arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance, alleging that some 5,000 party members were targeted by police. He said the PTI would hold its power show in a peaceful manner within the ambit of law and the Constitution.

Restrictions imposed

Earlier on Friday, senior officials, including the Lahore commissioner and deputy commissioner, held consultations at the Punjab chief secretary’s camp office in GOR-1.

Sources privy to the meeting said the senior bureaucracy agreed that the PTI should be allowed to hold its public meeting, but with certain restrictions. “The government doesn’t want to give a free hand to the PTI and wants to engage them on issues like venue and timings, among other conditions,” a source told Dawn.

A senior official said the participants had decided that the Minar-i-Pakistan venue would not be granted at any cost and “the PTI be given options about venues, which shouldn’t be too comfortable for the party leaders and participants”.

An officer in the chief minister’s office told Dawn that the government had officially decided to allow the PTI to hold its power show but would make ‘clandestine’ efforts to reduce the turnout from outside Lahore.

The permission letter carrying 43 conditions made organisers responsible for ensuring stage security, security of male and female enclosures, emergency exits, measures for avoiding and controlling stampedes and adequate parking by hiring private security and volunteers.

One restriction stated that mass public rallies from outside of the city should not disturb life within Lahore. It also stated that no anti-state or anti-institution sloganeering and statements be done during the jalsa.

Another condition stated that all those facing cases for hate speech at the previous Islamabad rally should not be allowed to participate or appear on stage. It also said no proclaimed offender would participate in the public meeting.

Similarly, no Afghan flag would be allowed to be hoisted and no “Afghan-paid manpower” to be brought to the rally. Another condition mentioned that in case of any untoward incident, the organisers would be held responsible.

LHC order

Meanwhile, a full bench of the Lahore High Court ordered the deputy commissioner to decide an application of the PTI leaders for a rally until 5pm strictly in accordance with law and uninfluenced by the reports of law enforcement agencies as well as comments submitted by the provincial government.

Headed by Justice Farooq Haider, the bench passed the order on petitions filed by PTI former MNA Aliya Hamza Malik, MPA Imtiaz Mahmood Sheikh and others.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2024