District Coordination Officer (DCO) Lahore, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Ahmad Mubeen and Mall Road Traders Association President Naeem Mir asked reporters on Tuesday to stop covering protest rallies and demonstrations at the Mall Road. The request was made in connection with the implementation of a ban on rallies at the Mall Road to keep business activities running.
The DCO, CTO and Naeem Mir held a joint press conference to demand the implementation of a ban on protests at the Mall Road in letter and spirit.
Punjab government had informed the Lahore High Court (LHC) that it had banned rallies and processions on the Mall Road with effect from July 1. The home secretary told the LHC Chief Justice that an ordinance had been issued after the approval of the chief minister in which prohibition of protest demonstrations on The Mall had been imposed along with prohibitions on the number of demonstrators at Nasser Bagh and Attique Stadium. The DCO Lahore said the prohibition could only be accomplished with mutual cooperation; hence the civil society and media should join hands with government to get the ban implemented in true spirit.
CTO Mubeen expressed his limitations and said if an alternative plan is given, he would not take time to settle traffic issues on the Mall Road.
Naeem Mir demanded the Punjab Assembly to pass a law regarding traders’ demands. He said that though the government had banned the protests but implementation in letter and spirit was a problem. The speaker sought the role of media and civil society to stop rallies on The Mall which disturbed business activity at markets situated there. Implementing section 144 was not a permanent solution, a comprehensive law and alternative arrangements for rallies and processions were needed, he demanded.