LAHORE: The Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY) on Sunday intensified its protest, staging 262 small and large rallies and sit-ins across the province, causing a great deal of inconvenience to public at large.

Since the prime focus of the Tehreek was the provincial capital, it received more activists who blocked roads and intersections of the city in reaction to the Islamabad operation. As per an official report issued on Sunday, the provincial capital witnessed 36 protests, sit-ins and rallies.

It says the major sit-ins were arranged at Shahdara by over 2,500 activists, at Faisal Chowk nearly 3,000, Data Darbar 100/150, Daroghawala 200/250, Chungi Amar Sidhu 100/150, Babu Sabu 150/200, Thokar 200 etc .

The report about total number of sit-ins and rallies across the province was released by the provincial intelligent centre of the Punjab home department to law-enforcement agencies and the government. A copy of the report is also available with Dawn.

The entry and exit points of the provincial capital remained closed for traffic on the second day on Sunday, restricting transportation to and from Lahore. A trip of over 2,000 female students of a private education institution spent Saturday night at a deserted road near Manga Mandi when they failed to find way to come back homes.

262 protests, sit-ins held across Punjab; rail traffic disrupted

The students were taken to a picnic point by the institution’s own transport and on way back in the evening they got stuck due to closure of the roads leading to Lahore.

Tension gripped parents of the girls when they didn’t reach home by evening. Many of them reached Manga Mandi on motorbikes to take girls back but the institution disallowed them due to ‘policy’.

The protests remained largely peaceful in the city. The police, however, were alerted when a group of charged activists of the Tehreek attacked the residence of PML-N leader Bilal Yasin at Mohni Road.

The mobsters attacked the house with stones and clubs.

Most of the attackers covering their faces with shawls were chanting slogans against the government. The rioters had broken two doors and window panes.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Yaseen said: “Luckily, I and my family members had gone to attend a ceremony in the city.”

He said some of his neighbours came out of their houses and coped with the situation.

Police managed to disperse the attackers by intensifying security there.

The situation got worse for motorists on Sunday, when the Motorway police authorities announced closure of M2, M3 and M4, asking the masses to use alternate options.

The home department’s analysis says Kasur reported 14 protest rallies and sit-ins, Sheikhupura (eight), Nankana Sahib (nine), Gujranwala (six), Sialkot (16), Gujrat (17), Faisalabad (eight), Hafizabad (12), Attock, (13), Jehlum (five), Bhakkar (10), Mianwali (11), Muzaffargarh (13), Multan (five) etc.

On the reports that the protesters have planned a march on Jati Umra residence of Nawaz Sharif, the police intensified security there.

The Punjab Rangers were also deployed in the city.

“We have deployed Rangers at two points - Faisal Chowk and on The Mall,” Punjab Rangers spokesperson Maj. Abid told Dawn.

He said the deployment [of Rangers] was made in response to the request of the provincial authorities.The TLY has announced shutter-down and wheel-jam strike across the country on Monday.

The baton-wielding protesters harassed motorists by hitting vehicles with clubs in the city. The protesters also burnt tyres and put everything available on roads to block traffic. A major protest demonstration in front of the Punjab Assembly continued on the second consecutive day. The charged workers chanted slogans against the government till late in the evening. They were demanding the federal law minister’s resignation.

Owing to the protests and for the security of passengers, trains were stopped on the Lahore-Faisalabad, Lahore-Rawalpindi and Lahore-Narowal sections. Goods transporters also announced keeping their vehicles off road.

It was learnt that the protesters stopped a train near Shahdara, which was carrying 150 schoolchildren. The protesters were sitting outside outhouses of provincial ministers Manshaullah Butt in Sialkot and Rana Sanaullah in Faisalabad.

Leading the demonstration in front of the Punjab Assembly, TLY Chairman Dr Ashraf Asif Jalali told a news conference that the rulers would surely be held accountable for ‘sacrifices’. He said the Qul for the deceased would be held on The Mall at 9am on Monday. At 12noon, he said, an All-Party Conference would also be organised at Charing Cross to chalk out further strategy.

He demanded publication of the Raja Zafarul Haq report.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2017