LAHORE (Dunya News) - The much-anticipated power show of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came to a dramatic end in Lahore as the lights were switched off moments after the expiry of 6pm deadline.
The DJ sound system was also plugged off as the deadline expired.
The dejected PTI workers started leaving the venue when police and district administration took control of the stage.
Earlier, the caravan of PTI reached Lahore from several parts of the country.
However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur couldn’t make it to the venue as his convoy was at Kala Shah Kaku interchange when the deadline for public rally expired.
Earlier, the party workers had refused to leave the venue without listening to the speeches of central leaders.
The PTI was demonstrating its public strength in Lahore's Kahna area on Saturday.
The rallies from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, were cruising along the M2 motorway from Islamabad towards Lahore.
A number of PTI workers from all over Punjab used motorway and GT Road to reach Lahore.
Considering the pace of the movement of rallies, it could be easily anticipated that the rally would not be able to finish at the time as per the SOPs provided by the deputy commissioner in Friday night.
The deputy commissioner notified that the rally must end before 6pm.
Also Read: PTI granted permission for rally in Lahore
Meanwhile, preparations for the rally were completed. The stage has also been prepared and the sound system installed.
Supporters, carrying party banners and posters, reached the venue. Salman Akram Raja, Mian Azhar and other local leaders reached the venue amid reports of government efforts to place containers.
The district administration granted conditional permission for a rally at Ring Road’s Kahna area. The deputy commissioner has already issued the official notification.
WHAT PTI NEEDS TO DO
The district administration has allowed the PTI to hold the rally from 3pm to 6pm.
According to the notification, organisers will be responsible to ensure security for both men's and women's enclosures, manage crowd control, and parking through private security and volunteers.
Additionally, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is required to apologise for a speech he made on Sept 8 in Islamabad.
The notification stipulates that incoming groups from outside the city should not disrupt daily life. No slogans or statements against the state or institutions will be allowed during the rally according to the notification.
Furthermore, no absconders will be allowed to participate or appear on stage; failure to comply will result in legal action against the organisers.
Other conditions include a ban on displaying Afghan flags, appointing focal persons to liaise with local police, and cooperation with traffic police to establish a detailed traffic plan.
The organisers will also be responsible for setting up barbed wire along the Lahore Ring Road and Kahna to secure the area.
Additionally, entry with sticks or weapons is strictly prohibited. The use of fireworks and incendiary slogans is forbidden, and burning effigies or flags of any political or religious group will not be tolerated.
The district administration has mentioned that security within and around the rally site is the responsibility of the organisers who will be held accountable for any unforeseen incidents.
Given the overall security situation and potential threats, organisers are reminded to take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of participants and the public.
Additionally, caravans from Peshawar, led by the KP chief minister, are also expected to make their way to Lahore to join the rally.
LHC DIRECTION TO ADMIN
Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the deputy commissioner to make a decision regarding the PTI rally by 5pm on Friday.
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.