LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Punjab government and Lahore Deputy Commissioner Mudassar Riaz in a petition seeking a ban on the December 13 meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Lahore. The PDM, an umbrella alliance of 11 opposition parties, is gearing up for its upcoming event. Despite an uncontrolled surge in fresh infections and a government ban on large public meetings, the opposition is bent on holding the event. The petition nominated federal government, National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) and PDM member parties as respondents. It noted a health emergency has been enforced in the country in the wake of coronavirus pandemic. However, the opposition parties were holding protest rallies despite a ban in place on large public meetings and causing a spike in fresh virus cases, it said. “The PDM leadership is playing with the lives and health of the people,” the petition said. The petitioner observed that “the educational institutions have been closed and other gatherings have been banned due to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic in the country.” Petitioner requested the court to restrain the movement from holding the meeting in Lahore and order legal action for violation of the virus restrictions. A bench of the high court directed the respondents to furnish their responses by Wednesday.