Commuters irked as Mall Road partially blocked for PAT protest

LAHORE: The city's main artery, Mall Road, has been closed for traffic from Governor House till Lower Mall in light of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek-led 'grand protest' today.  

Police officials said Mall Road, Bedin Road, Hall Road, Mazang Road, Jain Mandir Chowk, Lower Mall Road, Anarkali Bazaar, Cooper Road, Shahrah-e-Fatima Jinnah, Davis Road, Gawalmandi, Lakshmi Chowk, Katcheri Road, Egerton Road and linking road are facing severe traffic jams. 

Moreover, the access to Mayo Hospital and Ganga Ram Hospital has been badly affected, as has the route to Lahore High Court and the lower courts.

Model Town tragedy: Qadri-led alliance to hold protest rally in Lahore today

Preparations for the rally have been finalised, while a stage has been established atop a container in front of the Punjab Assembly building for speakers

Similarly, traders around the protest site on Mall Road are bearing the brunt of the protest and have chosen to close shop due to the lack of access to the area. 

Opposition parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by PAT leader Tahirul Qadri, will hold the rally at Charing Cross, Mall Road, which is expected to begin around 2pm.

All preparations have been finalised for the rally and a stage has been established atop a container.

LHC reserves verdict on petition against PAT's Mall Road protest

An advocate and Mall Road traders have petitioned court to halt today's 'grand protest' by PAT, other opposition parties

The Lahore High Court, hearing a petition by an advocate and traders against the protest, has reserved its decision in the case and will announce it shortly. 

The petitioners have pleaded the court to shift the protest to Nasir Bagh so lives of the general public are not adversely affected by the protest.