No protest allowed on The Mall, LHC told

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday disposed off a petition against protest and rallies on The Mall road, Lahore, after police assured to implement the law. A law officer giving undertaking on behalf of the police said that the ban on protest on The Mall was still intact. He said the LHC in 2011 had directed the Punjab government not to allow any person or group of persons to protest and block this road.
He said every possible measure would be taken to restrain people from protesting, blocking and causing any hindrance in the commercial activity and free movement of citizens on The Mall. A citizen, Ali Jawad, through his counsel Sheraz Zaka submitted that terrorists were targeting those areas where people gather and on February 13 a suicide bomber targeted the area and blew himself up on The Mall. He submitted that protest on busy roads not only cause hurdles in smooth flow of traffic but also adversely affect the businesses.