LAHORE: Over 150 people were arrested as religious parties attempted to hold a demonstration ‘in favour of blasphemy laws’ in provincial capital on Wednesday, on the death anniversary of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer.
Protesters belonging to Sunni Tehreek, Tehreek-i-Khatme Nabuwat and Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (SAW) were among those who had planned to march from Kalma Chowk to Liberty Chowk in favour of the blasphemy laws.
The provincial government, however, did not permit the holding of the rally, after which police erected blockades in different parts of the city to prevent the gatherings.
Deputy Inspector General Operations Haider Ashraf said that over 150 members of the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (SAW) had been arrested. He added that no one had permission to hold a rally in Lahore. SP Security Ibadat Nisar said the Punjab government had not allowed the demonstrators to hold a rally in Lahore.
Main Gulberg and all arteries leading to it were blocked from Barkat Market to Main Market and police was heavily deployed across the city.
Residents of the city faced severe traffic jams along certain routes due to the diversions.
Salmaan Taseer, former governor of Punjab, was assassinated by his security guard Mumtaz Qadri the same day six years ago. On his death anniversary, banners proclaiming Mumtaz Qadri as a hero cropped up in various cities.
A month after Taseer’s killer was executed, a mob of pro-Qadri protesters led by the Sunni Tehreek and the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (SAW) converged on the federal capital and besieged Islamabad’s Red Zone. The stand-off between the government and protesters ended without a showdown after three days and several rounds of negotiations between both the parties.
