The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Friday was been granted permission by the district administration to hold a rally at Lahore Ring Road, Kahna on Saturday, September 21.
However, this approval comes with the stipulation that PTI must adhere to 43 conditions.
This decision follows a directive from the Lahore High Court, which had instructed the district administration to make a ruling on PTI’s request for a rally permit by 5pm.
The Deputy Commissioner’s office issued the No Objection Certificate (NOC), stipulating that the event would take place at Ring Road, Kahna, instead of the initially proposed venue of Minar-e-Pakistan. The rally is scheduled to occur between 3pm and 6pm.
Among the 43 conditions, one specifically requires Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to issue a public apology for the “vitriolic” comments he made during PTI’s rally in Islamabad on September 8.
The terms also dictate that supporters from other cities must ensure their presence does not disrupt local daily life, and anti-state slogans will not be tolerated.
Additionally, PTI members who are facing trial for hate speech related to the Islamabad rally are prohibited from appearing on stage. Similarly, no proclaimed offenders are allowed to participate, and organisers are responsible for ensuring these individuals are arrested if present. If they fail to do so, they may face charges for aiding and abetting those offenders.
The conditions further restrict any broadcasting or public display of audio or video messages from proclaimed offenders or convicts during the event.
The NOC also highlights the need for the organisers to take full responsibility for security arrangements around the rally venue, noting overall security concerns and threat alerts from various sources, as the rally is being held at the party’s request.
Meanwhile, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan expressed gratitude for the NOC, announcing that the party had received official clearance for the rally on September 21.
“I appreciate the district administration for issuing the NOC,” Barrister Gohar said in a statement, urging PTI workers and supporters from across the country to attend in large numbers.
He also made a request to the authorities, asking that there be no roadblocks on the day of the rally so attendees can arrive on time and the event can proceed as planned. Barrister Gohar urged everyone to gather peacefully and on schedule, asking party members to arrive at the venue by 1pm to ensure the event starts and finishes on time.
“This message comes directly from our founding chairman, Imran Khan, encouraging all workers to attend,” he added in a final appeal, calling on the people of Lahore and Punjab to show up in significant numbers.
Earlier in the day, Punjab’s opposition leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, accompanied by several Punjab Assembly members, visited Minar-e-Pakistan only to find the gates locked and a heavy police presence preventing access to the site.
In a precautionary measure, the district administration had sealed off Minar-e-Pakistan by locking all gates and placing containers on access routes. The site was also heavily guarded by a substantial police force.
PTI’s preparations for the Lahore rally are in full swing. A convoy, led by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, is scheduled to leave from Swabi the following morning. Each PTI candidate has been instructed by party leadership to bring along 500 supporters.
The convoy, led by Gandapur, will also be equipped with machinery to remove any obstacles that might be encountered along the route.
Barrister Saif, Adviser for Information in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, confirmed that all necessary arrangements for the Lahore rally have been completed. “A large number of people from Swabi are headed to Lahore,” he stated, urging the government not to obstruct the rally. “Maryam Nawaz should remain composed,” he added.
It is worth mentioning that the Lahore High Court had previously dismissed a petition seeking to block the rally, ruling the petition inadmissible. The court instructed the Deputy Commissioner to decide on PTI’s rally request by 5pm, according to the law.
Speaking from Adiala Jail, PTI’s founding chairman Imran Khan, during an informal discussion with journalists, warned that if the government refused to allow the Lahore rally, “we will transform the rally into a protest.” He added that if the rally was blocked, “the entire nation will rise in protest at Minar-e-Pakistan.”
Khan reiterated that the rally’s purpose is to “defend democracy and freedom,” which he said is a right protected by the Supreme Court but frequently obstructed by the government. He criticised the government’s handling of political rallies, questioning why barriers were set up at previous PTI events despite prior assurances. “If the Lahore Deputy Commissioner does not grant permission for the rally, we will protest at Minar-e-Pakistan,” Khan emphasised.
Drawing a comparison with former President Musharraf’s tenure, Khan remarked that even during martial law, political rallies and media freedoms were not as severely restricted. “Musharraf’s elections were more free and fair than these, and he did not suppress rallies or media in the same way,” Khan noted.
Khan concluded by highlighting the government’s selective approval process, stating, “Their requests are being considered, while ours are being rejected.”
