Petition filed in LHC against PDM rally in Lahore

LAHORE: A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday to restrain the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from holding their upcoming rally in Lahore.

The petition was filed by Advocate Nadeem Sarwar and the federal government, National Command and Control Centre (NCOC), PDM, PML-N and PPP were declared as respondents.

Th petition stated that a health emergency has been enforced in the country in the wake of coronavirus while the PDM is holding protest rallies which is causing a surge in coronavirus cases.

The petitioner observed that educational institutions have been closed and other gatherings have been banned due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. He pleaded the court to restrain the PDM from

holding a public rally in Lahore and order legal action over violation of the government’s coronavirus SOPs. The PDM is set to hold its next rally in Lahore of December 13.

The local administration in Lahore has reportedly refused to allow PDM to hold public gathering at the Greater Iqbal Park on December 13. The PDM leadership has submitted a formal application seeking no objection certificate (NOC) for the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore.

They also requested the provincial government to ensure security arrangements at the venue to avoid any untoward incident. However, the concerned authorities rejected the appeal of PDM in the wake of preventing increasing coronavirus cases across the country.

A case was registered against the organisers of PDM rally in Multan, including three sons of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and others, for violating coronavirus SOPs and vandalism of government property.

Ali Musa Gillani, Abdul Qadir Gillani, Ali Haider Gillani, along with Abdul Rehman Kanjo, Bilal Butt, Ayaz-ul-Haq Qasmi of JUI-F were among the 51 persons nominated in the FIR.

A separate case was also lodged against former PML-N MPA Shahid on the complaint of the owner of the cardboard warehouse as a blaze erupted at the warehouse due to fireworks reportedly set of by him.