Lahore schools, colleges located on PTI rally route to close by 12pm

LAHORE: The city district administration has ordered to close all the schools and colleges located on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rally route owing to security threats by 12pm today.

Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa, in a directive on Sunday ahead of the PTI's rally, also instructed to shut shops on the city's Circular Road at 12pm.

The party has announced to hold an election rally from Zaman Park to Data Darbar.

Earlier, the local authorities allowed the Imran Khan-led party to stage a rally in Punjab's capital city blocking the party’s attempt to kick off election activities twice in the last week.

During a meeting held on the instruction of Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the PTI’s leadership submitted an affidavit, assuring the administration of its full cooperation with them, the police and the security officials.

The former ruling party also assured the authorities that it would comply with the concerned law about the usage of the sound system. Speeches against the state institutions and judiciary will not be allowed in the rally, agreed the PTI.

The PTI would be responsible if public property is demanded during the rally, read the affidavit.

Earlier in the day, Imran Khan, who was ousted from the government after losing a no-confidence vote on April 9 last year, postponed his election rally after the interim government refused to lift Section 144.

According to PTI Lahore Chapter President Imtiaz Shaikh, a rally will be taken out from Zaman Park to Data Darbar at 2pm today.

“Imran Khan will lead the rally,” he confirmed.

This would be the first rally that Khan would lead in more than four months as he was mobilising the party from his Zaman Park residence in Punjab's capital. The PTI chief had been at home as he was "recovering" from an injury he sustained last year.

Khan was shot in the legs on November 3 as he waved to crowds from a truck-mounted container while leading a protest march to Islamabad to pressure the government into announcing an early election — but it was cut short in Rawalpindi.

The general elections in Punjab are scheduled to be held on April 30, while the date for the polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is yet to be announced as Governor Ghulam Ali has not made a decision yet.