PTI all set to shut down Lahore today

Faizan Bangash
LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is all set to block the provincial capital Lahore and stage sit-ins in different parts of Lahore against the government today (Monday).

As part of its Plan C, the PTI, which has been on the roads since August this year in protest against the alleged rigging in the general elections, wants to block the capital city of Punjab, where the Punjab government has deployed around 19,000 police personnel to avert any clash between the PML-N and PTI activists.

Already, the PTI has staged protests in Faisalabad and Karachi this week. The clashes in Faisalabad turned violent and resulted in the killing of a PTI worker and left dozens of others injured.

In Lahore, the PTI will stage sit-ins at 18 different points and block roads to register its protest. The major points where the PTI activists are expected to block roads include Shahdara, Bhaati Chowk, PMG Chowk, Babu Sabu Chowk, Charing Cross, Shalimar Chowk, Mughalpura, Bhatta Chowk, Liberty Chowk, Akber Chowk, Thokar Niaz Baig, Chungi Amar Sidhu, Harbanspura, Wahdat Road, Lahore High Court surroundings and Mozang Chungi.

The PTI Punjab leaders, including Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mahmoodur Rasheed, Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry and Punjab general secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid, will also lead processions in parts of the city, and the workers are likely to gather at the Chairing Cross, the Mall, where the party Chairman Imran Khan is also likely to visit and address the gathering.

Our correspondents add: The Metro Bus Service will remain suspended due to PTI’s protests in the city. The Lahore Police have arranged containers and barbed wires to cordon off the problematic areas.

The Punjab government through telephonic and text messages has directed all the Punjab bureaucracy to ensure their presence in the offices by 7:00am at all costs.

The heads of administrative departments and autonomous institutions will reach their respective offices by 7:00am sharp, while the non-gazzetted and lower cadre staff had been asked ensure their presence by 6:30am sharp.

Public and private educational institutions in Lahore will also remain open despite the PTI’s shutdown call.

According to information received through different official sources, the Punjab government has conveyed its verbal orders to administrations of schools, colleges and universities to keep all the educational institutions open today (Monday). It has also issued directions not to reschedule any exam or test currently in progress.

The government’s directions further sought to ensure 100 percent presence of teachers and students before 7:00am.

Meanwhile, the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association (APPSMA) has also announced to keep the schools open. Two chains of private schools have, however, rescheduled their exams for some other day, but they are also keeping their schools open, asking the parents to send their children to schools at their own risk.

Representatives of traders and transporters vowed to open their businesses and operate vehicles in the city today (Monday) as they rejected the PTI’s strike call after the local administration and police promised to protect them and their assets.

Meanwhile, the PML-N leadership has decided that a free hand will be given to the PTI for the strike.