The commuters suffer as exit and entry points at Thokar Niaz Baig and Ravi bridge have been blocked with heavy containers.
Lahore: In a bid to thwart public gathering of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) at Minar-e-Pakistan, the local authorities put containers and barriers on all the roads leading to it on Saturday morning.
The authorities also blocked the entry and exit points of the city, especially Ravi bridge and Thokar Niaz Baig to create hurdles in the way of the PTI supporters.
The hurdles caused huge trouble to the commuterswhile going to homes and work.
Heavy containers have been placed at Shah Alam market, Bansawala Bazaar, Railways stations and other parts of the city to restrict the movement.
A day earlier, PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan had said that they would hold a remarkable jalsa at Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday night.
Taking to Twitter, Imran Khan said the PTI would hold its sixth gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan, claiming that the public gathering would break all records.
He wrote, “I am inviting everyone in Lahore to attend after Tarawih prayers. I will give my vision of Haqeeqi Azadi & how we will pull Pak[istan] out of the mess cabal of crooks have put our country in,”.
He also said, “They will put all sorts of hurdles to prevent people from attending, but I want to remind our people that it is their fundamental right to attend a political gathering. Everyone must assert their right as people of a free nation that won its independence & come to Minar i Pakistan,”.
Besides placing hurdles and containers at the roads leading to Minar-e-Pakistan, the police also arrested several PTI leaders and workers in the latest crackdown in different cities across the country.
The police launched massive crackdown in the federal capital and took several many PTI supporters into custody.
Zulfi Bukhari and Hammad Azhar visited Minar-e-Pakistan on Friday night to review the situation there for arrangements. Both the leaders urged the workers and supporters to reach Jalsa [gathering] and support PTI for democracy and rule of law.
Despite hurdles and bars, the PTI workers are also excited to take part in the public gathering. They are sharing video messages and running campaigns on the social media regarding participation in it.
Punjab Information Minister Amir Mir rejected the news of blocking roads with containers and barricades.
“There are no hurdles for the public,” said the minister, adding that the citizens going to public gathering are only being checked by the police for the sake of security.
He stated that the provincial government allowed the PTI to hold public gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan tonight.
