Amraiz Khan
Lahore
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday, issued a notice to the provincial government. It directed the Advocate General Punjab to return on October 16 after receiving instructions from the government after a petition was filed by the PML-N’s lawyer wing
Justice Masud Abid Naqvi passed the direction after hearing the petition which contended for the release of party supporters and removal of roadblocks erected by the provincial government and Punjab Police to create hurdles for the PML-N’s public gathering.
PML-N’s lawyer wing had decided to file a writ petition wherein it made Punjab government respondent through its chief secretary, home secretary, inspector general police, DIG operations, CCPO and the regional police officer Gujranwala.
The petition stated that opposition parties gathered on a joint platform of PDM and announced a peaceful public gathering, but the respondents had blocked many roads leading to Gujranwala by placing containers on them.
Respondents had also started making illegal arrests of political workers and supporters of PDM under the garb of The Punjab Infectious Diseases (Prevention and Control) Ordinance, 2020, the petition further contented. It further stated that the supply of petrol to petrol pumps was being disrupted by the respondents and the same had virtually been discontinued at many petrol pumps so as to keep the motor vehicles of the opposition parties off the roads.
Respondents had placed many hurdles including barbed wire fences, barriers, cement blocks and other materials in their attempt to put maximum restrictions on the participants of the peaceful public gathering at Gujranwala, the petition added.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Democratic Movement has formally been given permission to hold a jalsa today in the Gujranwala’s Jinnah Stadium.
The permission was given after the Gujranwala District Administration and the PDM reached a 28-point agreement on how the jalsa would be held.
The agreement states that all coronavirus SOPs will be strictly implemented throughout the jalsa, and that attendees will not enter the jalsa venue without masks and sanitisers.
The organisers will also have to install walk-through gates and sanitisers at the entrance and exit gates of the venue. Cars will be allowed to be parked at a distance from the venue of the jalsa. The PDM will arrange lighting at the venue and ensure there is no display of weaponry or fireworks at the venue.
The seating arrangements will have to be such that there is a 3-6 feet distance between the attendees at all times. The PDM has also been told that none of its leaders are to make speeches at any place other than Jinnah Stadium, and there will be no ‘welcoming camps’ at GT Road.
