Pakistan’s ex-premier Imran Khan calls off rally after Punjab govt imposes Section 144 in Lahore

Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan referred to as off his social gathering’s deliberate election rally in Lahore after Punjab’s caretaker authorities imposed Section 144 in Lahore on Sunday.

Islamabad,UPDATED: Mar 12, 2023 23:33 IST

File picture of Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan

By Press Trust of India: Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday referred to as off his social gathering’s deliberate election rally in Lahore after Punjab’s caretaker authorities banned public gatherings within the provincial capital.

In a televised handle, Khan Saturday introduced that he’ll lead an election marketing campaign rally in Lahore on Sunday and urged his supporters and staff to take part in face of the police brutality purportedly dedicated towards the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf social gathering.

Soon after his announcement, the native administration enforced Section 144 within the provincial capital and banned public gatherings, citing considerations within the wake of a Pakistan Super League (PSL) cricket match within the metropolis, Dawn newspaper reported.

Khan’s social gathering approached Election Commission workplaces and the courts towards the federal government’s transfer, saying the imposition of Section 144 ought to be declared null and void. Later, in a shock transfer, 70-year-old cricketer-turned politician postponed the rally, calling on his staff to “not fall into this trap”.

“It seems again Sec 144 has been imposed illegally solely on PTI election campaign as all other public activities are ongoing in Lahore. Only Zaman Park has been surrounded by containers & heavy police contingent. Clearly, like 8 March, Punjab CM & police want to provoke clashes to file more sham FIRs against PTI ldrshp & workers & to use as pretext for postponing elections (sic),” Khan tweeted.

He told his supporters “to not fall into this lure”. “Hence, we’ve got postponed rally until tomorrow,” he tweeted. Later, senior party leader Hammad Azhar confirmed the postponement of the rally. “We need peaceable elections and peaceable switch of energy and it’s doable that the rally could be held tomorrow,” he told reporters.

However, Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that no ban had been imposed on political activities in the city.

“All political events are freely allowed to marketing campaign,” he tweeted. “We have restricted rallies and political actions for in the present day as we’ve got a PSL cricket match, crew actions, and marathon in Lahore,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja has summoned a gathering to debate the state of affairs. Earlier, the police blocked the roads resulting in Khan’s Zaman Park residence. A heavy contingent of police was deployed on completely different routes.

One activist of Khan’s social gathering was killed on Wednesday throughout a crackdown on his supporters who gathered exterior his residence in Lahore, defying a authorities ban on rallies within the metropolis.

Khan was ousted from energy in April after dropping a no-confidence vote in his management, which he alleged was a part of a US-led conspiracy concentrating on him due to his impartial international coverage selections on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.

Posted By:

Manisha Pandey

Published On:

Mar 12, 2023