Restrictive Measures.

In order to restrict movement within Lahore, the interim government positioned containers at various locations ahead of Imran Khan's Minar-i-Pakistan rally during which the party chairman intends on outlining his vision of Haqeeqi Azadi. Once can expect the city to come to a stand-still not only for the night, but until 12pm the next day as per official instructions. The right to protest and assemble is one that is enshrined in the constitution and any attempts to thwart this should be condemned. At the same time, endless rallies have become a menace for the common citizen as well. Both parties in this political tussle must find a way to go about achieving their objectives without creating unnecessary restrictions for the masses.

For months now, cities like Islamabad and Lahore have been brought to a stand-still due to road closures, placement of containers, suffocating traffic, and endless unrest on the streets due to political uncertainty and conflict. As parties mobilise their supporters and launch their campaigns addressing their grievances, countless people face hardships on the streets as they struggle to open shops, make it to their offices, carry out business activities or even go to school. In fact, placing containers ahead of the Minar-i-Pakistan rally yesterday caused students to miss...