The PPP Lahore president said the party would continue with its program scheduled for July 25 regardless of the circumstances.
LAHORE:
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is gearing up for a political showdown with the Punjab government after its application to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan remained pending for more than six weeks, prompting the party to warn of protests, sit-ins and other agitations in the former stronghold of the PML-N if permission continues to be denied.
Party leaders said a “complete gridlock”, spanning from highways to Lahore’s main arteries, could be on the cards as part of a broader protest campaign as the government keeps its permit in cold storage.
They accused the Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government of denying the PPP its constitutional and democratic right to hold a peaceful political gathering, adding that the party would announce its future course of action at a press conference on Wednesday.
A senior party leader said the government had kept the demonstration permit “in cold storage” despite the passage of six weeks.
“Six weeks was enough time. Now we’ve had enough,” he said. He regretted that the Punjab government had denied the party’s legal and democratic right to organize a peaceful political event.
The leader said the party would outline its strategy during Wednesday’s news conference.
“Our main objective is to ask permission for a demonstration and that’s it,” he said.
“If we are arrested during our campaign to ask the government for permission, so be it,” he added.
“What would the headlines say? ‘Maryam Nawaz-led government arrests leaders of its alliance partner,'” he said.
According to a message circulated to the media, PPP Lahore submitted its application for the rally on June 8 and made several visits to the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, but was never granted permission.
The message read: “The Lahore PPP had informed the Punjab government that if permission was not granted by 8:00 pm on July 14, 2026, the party would launch a peaceful democratic campaign against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s refusal to grant permission and ensure her democratic right to hold the meeting at Minar-e-Pakistan. The campaign will include peaceful protests, sit-ins, marches and other constitutional measures and democratic.”
“As the Punjab government did not issue permission within the stipulated time, the Pakistan People’s Party in Lahore will announce its future course of action in a major press conference.”
Lahore PPP president Faisal Mir said the party would continue with its program scheduled for July 25 regardless of the circumstances.
