PTI prepares for May 1 rally at Lahore despite government disapproval

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership is busy preparing for a rally scheduled on Sunday at Mall Road despite being warned of security risks by the federal government.

The PTI leadership along with police official visited the Chairing Cross area to inspect it for a security clearance on Saturday.

However, DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf refused to give security clearance to the PTI leadership. “We have warned the PTI of possible security risks at the area. If they still hold the rally the police force will have no choice but to guard the event,” he said.

Speaking to the media PTI leader Shoaib Siddiqui said that they had not been given permission to hold the rally by the city government. “We have not received permission to hold the rally but we will still go ahead with it. We will also place containers to set up a stage,” he said.

PTI officials on Friday rejected Lahore district administration’s proposition to change the venue of the rally on May 1, saying that party Chairman Imran Khan has already announced the schedule of the public gathering.

Imran Khan in his address on April 24 in Islamabad, had announced to hold the next rally at Charing Cross.

The officials from Lahore’s district administration met with a PTI delegation on Friday. In the meeting, the administration officials proposed that the venue for the PTI rally should be changed owing to security reasons. The officials suggested Nasir Bagh, Samanabad Doongi ground, and Gaddafi Stadium as three other possible venues.

The administration clarified that the Lahore High Court has banned rallies and gatherings on Lahore’s Mall road.

Earlier, the Islamabad district administration had also refused to give permission to the PTI to hold a rally at F-9 Park citing security concerns.

Imran Khan, at PTI’s 20th Foundation Day rally at F-9 Park, had announced the launch of an anti-corruption campaign from Sindh in the wake of Panama Papers Leaks and a public rally on May 1 at Lahore's Chairing Cross.