PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Monday announced a power show at Minar-i-Pakistan on March 19 as the party’s twice-delayed election rally was finally taken out peacefully.
The rally was originally scheduled for Saturday and then Sunday but was postponed after the party failed to get relief either from the Election Commission or the Lahore High Court against the caretaker Punjab government’s order of imposing Section 144 in the provincial capital.
The interim Punjab government had imposed Section 144 citing a Pakistan Super League match in the Qaddafi Stadium and a marathon race in the city. However, in a notification on Sunday, the administration had allowed the PTI to take out the public rally on Monday but mentioned that it would carry “high-security risk due to the general and specific threats against political gatherings and previous instance of attack on the ex-prime minister”.
The permission was given after an undertaking by the organiser to the “effect that in case of any untoward incident he shall be held responsible”. The notification had also barred speeches against the constitutional offices, including the military and judiciary.
The election rally was kicked off from Zaman Park with Imran leading it in a bulletproof vehicle.
