LAHORE: The district government on Friday granted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) permission to hold a rally in Kahna area of Lahore.
However, the former ruling party had initially requested permission to hold the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan.
During a meeting, the district intelligence committee reviewed the changing of the rally’s venue.
District officials evaluated the potential venues based on a police report, after which the deputy commissioner issued an NOC for Kahna.
The Punjab government has set conditions for PTI’s rally, including that Ali Amin Gandapur apologise for his statements in Sept 8 rally in Islamabad. If he doesn’t, the NOC may be cancelled. The district administration has allowed the PTI to hold the rally from 3pm to 6pm.
The Punjab government further stated that no institution or prominent personalities would be criticised during the rally. If PTI fails to assure this, permission will be withdrawn.
Punjab’s opposition leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar said they would hold a peaceful rally, following democratic and constitutional procedures.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the deputy commissioner to make a decision regarding the PTI rally by 5pm.
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.
