PTM stopped from holding rally at sports ground in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: On the directives of the district administration, the police on Saturday got vacated a sports ground where arrangements were being made for holding a public rally of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) on Sunday.

Some workers of the PTM were also arrested during action in the limits of the Yakatoot Police Station.

“As per the district administration’s orders concerning imposition of Section-144, the local police got vacated the place,” a spokesman for the Peshawar Capital City Police told reporters.

The PTM rally, which was being staged in connection with the second death anniversary of its worker Arman Loni, was scheduled to be held at the sports ground near the Government Superior Science College in suburban Peshawar.

The district administration has imposed Section-144 banning the gathering of more than five persons in the limits of the Yakatoot Police Station.

The administration stated that the ban was imposed due to terrorist threats as well as concern that a public rally could cause the spread of Covid-19. The venue of the rally falls in the limits of the police station concerned and the administration said it had acted to ensure that the SOPs for preventing the spread of Covid-19 are followed.

Earlier, the KP Sports Directorate had written a letter to the deputy commissioner, Peshawar seeking ban on the PTM rally as no political activity is allowed at any sports facility.

A number of locals, some of them carrying Pakistan’s flags, also staged demonstrations on Saturday in the area, protesting against the planned rally of PTM.The videos of locals exchanging harsh words with PTM workers, who were finalising arrangements for the event, also went viral on social media.

Police officials did not provide information as to how many PTM workers were arrested. One official said they would be able to provide the data on Monday as it was the weekend and the staff was on day-off.