-Section 144 imposed in Lahore for 7 days, PTI challenges the restrictions in LHC
-PEMRA bans coverage of rallies on Mall Road
-Interior Minister defends Punjab govt’s move to impose 144, Hammad Azhar claims Rana wants bloodshed
-Punjab govt asks PTI to take ‘extra precautions’
From Abid Usman
LAHORE: PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday called off the party’s rally in Lahore in the wake of the Punjab government’s crackdown on participants following the imposition of Section 144 in the provincial capital.
The PTI had planned to take out a rally from Zaman Park to Data Darbar Imran and other leaders were also expected to be in attendance.
The PTI, which had decided to kick off its election campaign today, had decided to dedicate the demonstration to the judiciary and postponed the launch of its canvassing drive until Saturday.
However, earlier in the day the Punjab government had imposed Section 144 in Lahore and had also arrested several PTI workers for violating the ban.
In a video address after the crackdown on party workers, Imran said: “Stop everything. We are not taking out the rally that we were supposed to as, I am saddened to say, that all the moves they (the government) are making are aimed at running away from elections.
“They are trying to ensure that chaos spreads and that is why I’m saying to my workers to finish it, we will not carry out the rally,” he said.
Imran alleged that the government had launched a crackdown on PTI workers not for the sake of law and order but in an effort to avoid conducting elections in the province.
“We cannot give them (government) any excuse [to delay the elections],” the PTI chief, again calling on party workers to return to their homes.
“They picked up and took away our people today as well — around 100 workers — for what reason?” he asked.
Ahead of the PTI’s rally, the Punjab Home Department had banned “all kinds of protests, demonstrations and sit-ins” in Lahore for seven days, citing the “overall security situation” in the wake of recent “wave of terrorism and threat alerts”.
A notification issued by the home ministry said the ban was imposed on “holding all kinds of assemblies, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, processions, demonstrations, protests and such like other activities across the district Lahore to avert any untoward incident”.
The prohibition — imposed under Section 144 (temporary orders in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) of the Code of Criminal Procedure — is to be in effect immediately.
Separately, PTI’s Hammad Azhar filed a petition with the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the imposition of Section 144 in the city.
The petition named the Punjab government through the chief secretary, the provincial Home Department and its additional chief secretary, the Lahore deputy commissioner, the Lahore capital city police officer and the state as respondents.
It contended that the Punjab Home Department had “illegally and unlawfully issued” the order for Section 144’s implementation. It argued that the order was issued without jurisdiction since only the deputy commissioner had the power to do so.
The petition requested that the Section 144 order be declared illegal and set aside. It also requested that the Punjab government be directed to provide “sufficient security” to the PTI rally.
PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry shared a video of a water cannon being used to dispel PTI rally participants.
The PTI chairman said that his party had launched its election campaign with hardly 55 days left for elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“Under what law and in brazen contempt of the Supreme Court, the Punjab caretaker government uses massive police violence against unarmed workers to stop our planned rally?” he asked.
“The only job of caretakers is to ensure fair and free elections. What they are doing is an assault on rule of law, our Constitution and democracy. Above all, once the Supreme Court ruling is defied, it is now law of the jungle,” he said.
Additionally, PTI’s Shireen Mazari said Lahore seemed to be “under covert martial law” with roads blocked, rallies — including the party’s — blocked access and unarmed workers arrested, and sound systems taken away.
In an apparent reference to the Punjab caretaker chief minister, she said: “Crook Naqvi indulging in all fascist tactics.”
Subsequently, the Pakistan Electronic Media and Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued a directive to all satellite TV channels asking them to “ensure stoppage of media coverage of the protests/protesters at the Mall Road Red Zone, Lahore”, citing a previous directive from a 2019 case.
The media watchdog noted “some of the satellite TV channels are indulged in non-stop coverage of public gathering and rallies and while covering those gatherings and rallies, slanderous and malicious content targeting state institutions is aired”, adding that such content was “not in consonance with Pemra Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015”.
It added that such coverage was also in violation of a past Lahore High Court order (2020 CLC 157), which stated that “no television channel will make any coverage of the protests being conducted on the Mall Road Red Zone”.
Pemra further said that “airing of malicious and slanderous content against state institutions is in violation of Section 20b, 20c, 20d and 20f of the Pemra Ordinance 2002, Rule 15(1) of Pemra Rules 2009, Regulation 18(1) (c), (g)(m) of Pemra (Television Broadcast Station Operations) Regulations 2012 and Clauses 3 (1) (j)(I), 4(3), 4(9), 4(10), 5 and 17 of Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015”.
The order warned that “airing of malicious and slanderous content in news bulletins, talk shows press conferences or during coverage of a public gathering/rallies and addresses would be licensee’s responsibility” and any violations would “be considered to be committed intentionally”.
It added that punitive action such as programming prohibition, fine imposition and suspension or revocation or cancellation of licence could be taken against the licencee.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah defended the Punjab government’s decision to impose Section 144 in the provincial capital. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said that three rallies were happening simultaneously: Aurat March, Jamaat-i-Islami’s ‘Haya March’ and the PTI’s march.
He said that all three demonstrations were taking place in the same vicinity. “In such a situation, any incident can take place,” he said, adding that the Punjab government choose to impose Section 144 on the reports received from agencies.
The minister said that according to his knowledge, the PTI was asked to share the route for their rally with the authorities concerned which they failed to do. “On this basis, the Punjab government thought it appropriate to impose Section 144.”
He further said that on one hand the PTI chief was claiming in court that he was 72-years-old, had a cast on one leg and was unable to walk but on the other he wanted to take out a rally. He told Imran to appear in court if he was well while also raising questions about the “relief” he was being given by the courts.
Referring to the Islamabad High Court’s decision to suspend the arrest warrants registered against Imran till March 13, Sanaullah said that no more relief should be given to the PTI chief and he should be punished accordingly if he failed to appear in court yet again.
PTI leader Hammad Azhar castigated Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and those “dictating him” for “ending democracy” by not allowing any political activity in the city when elections are already scheduled for April 30.
Talking to the media outside Imran’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore, he said that the “so-called unbiased caretaker government’s only duty” was to conduct elections but it was banning any rallies and political activity, creating a hindrance in the election campaign.
Alleging that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and the incumbent government “wanted bloodshed” in the city, he directed the party workers to remain peaceful, refrain from any clashes and stay where they were.
Earlier in the day, the home department had asked PTI leaders in Lahore to take “extra precaution” in view of the party’s scheduled rally, saying such public gatherings in the face of security threats are “not advisable”.
The provincial authorities had conveyed its concerns to PTI Central Punjab President Dr Yasmin Rashid through a letter asking the party to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
In a letter to the PTI’s Dr Rashid, the home department had warned of security threats. “The leadership of PTI including Chairman PTI is also expected to address the general public/ participants at different places during a rally in Lahore today. It is also expected that a large number of people are likely to attend the said rally.”
According to the letter, “it is pertinent to mention here that given the current security situation of the country, public gatherings are not advisable. Furthermore, women march Is also going to be held In connection with International Women’s Day” which is likely to draw a large number of participants.“
The home department had said reactions from religious groups could not be ruled out in the wake of the women’s day rally.
“Therefore, in view of aforementioned facts, it is reiterated that the organizers of PTI rally should take extra precautions and cooperate with LEAs to thwart any untoward incident,” the letter had said.
On Tuesday, PTI leader Hammad Azhar had claimed that all arrangements for the rally were complete.
“[Wednesday’s] rally would start from Zaman Park, travel along the canal, take a sharp turn at Muslim Town Mor, and march towards the tomb of Data Ali Hajveri before its culmination,” he had informed the media at the party office.
“The rally is aimed at strengthening the judiciary, which is the last hope for the people and the rule of law,” the PTI leader had said.
