Daily Times

As the former ruling PTI announced voluntary arrests and a move out of the city, the caretaker government in Punjab imposed Section 144 for a week in three areas of the provincial capital Lahore.

The additional chief secretary issued a notification outlawing all gatherings, protests, and processions of any kind from the Mian Mir Bridge to Istanbul Chowk, the Civil Secretariat, and the streets near those locations along Main Boulevard Gulberg.

It added that rallies and protests pose significant security risks because Mall Road and main boulevard Gulberg Lahore are historically significant and contain business centres as well as highly sensitive historical installations.

Pakistan Super League will shift in Lahore from Feb 26, where a large number of spectators are likely to visit Qaddafi Stadium, via Main Boulevard Gulberg, the notification added.

Government imposes Section 144 in Lahore. Here is the notification:

The recent move by the Naqvi-led caretaker setup will benefit Imran Khan-led party in its court arrest movement as it provides legal ground for arrest.

Last week, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan announced that his party’s ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ would start from the Punjab capital on Wednesday in protest against the crackdown on PTI leaders and economic instability.