Daily Times

LAHORE: The historical city of Lahore will celebrate 70th Independence Day of Pakistan today (Monday) with enthusiasm and renowned commitment to make the country more prosperous.

For the purpose, government offices and other buildings have been festooned with green lights, flags and buntings.

The day will be marked by organising a number of ceremonies, including seminars and walks to pay tribute to the 1947 martyrs, who sacrificed their lives for the separate homeland. Several public and private departments, companies, organisations, educational institutions, political parties, non-governmental organisation have also planned different activities to mark the day. Special prayers would also be held for the prosperity of the country.

One of the main ceremonies to mark the day would be the change of guards at the mausoleum of Allama Muhammad Iqbal. Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to attend the ceremony as the chief guest.

People were also seen buying buntings, badges and other items from different stall set up by vendors seeking to make good fortunes.

Flag-hoisting ceremonies would also be held at Punjab Assembly, Town Hall, Civil Secretariat, Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) and other government offices.

A flag-hoisting ceremony will also be held at Punjab University College of Art and. PU Vice Chancellor Dr Zaffar, senior faculty members and other employees will attend the ceremony.

Meanwhile, a musical evening was organised at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday to celebrate the 70th Independence Day where renowned singers such as Anwar Rafi, Farah Anwar, Hamzah and others sung patriotic songs. There ceremony was attended by families of the members of LPC whereas its president Shahbaz Mian and other office-bearers were also present.

A sports gala was also held by the Quaid-e-Azam Library Lahore at its main building on Sunday. Punjab Public Libraries Director General Dr Zaheer Ahmad Babar was the chief guest. Employees from different public libraries took part in different events games, badminton, gymnastic, cricket and tug of war.

Meanwhile, city police and traffic police have made a comprehensive security and traffic plan to ensure smooth flow of traffic and proper parking of vehicles outside all historic and recreational places in the city.

More than 10,000 police and traffic personnel would perform duties in the provincial metropolis on Monday.

At 200 police vehicles would patrol different roads of the city to protect and provide peaceful atmosphere to the citizens.

According to the traffic plan, 107 traffic inspectors and 3,191 traffic wardens would perform their duties under the supervision of three superintendents of police (SPs) and 14 deputy superintendents of police (DSPs).

Special teams have been constituted to curb wheeling while control rooms have been established at the offices of divisional SPs to cope with any emergency.

Special squads of wardens have been deployed on Jail Road, The Mall Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Canal Road, GT Road, Ferozepur Road and other important roads of the city to check wheeling.

Meanwhile, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Amin Wains has directed all SPs to keep a vigilant eye on anti-social elements.

DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf said that traffic wardens, Dolphin Force, Police Response Unit (PRU), Mohafiz force, mobile squads, elite force as well as station house officers (SHOs) will adopt strict measures in their respective areas to curb any untoward incident.

The CCPO and the DIG Operations have appealed the citizens to extend cooperation to the Lahore Police for implementation of traffic plan and maintenance of law and order. They also appealed to parents to advise their children to desist from wheeling.

They made it clear that police officers would also pay surprise visits to various places to review security arrangements.

Published in Daily Times, August 14^th 2017.