LAHORE: The police and district administration on Thursday stopped the organisers and civil society members from holding a vigil to mark the death anniversary of slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer.

Institute for Peace and Secular Studies executive director Diep Saeeda said the civil society had planned to hold a vigil to mark death anniversary of Salman Taseer at Liberty Chowk and had written to the police and deputy commissioner to provide adequate security for the event. She said they needed security because in 2015 members of some religious party had attacked the vigil and tore the banners, portraits and posters and thrashed the activists. She said no one from the police and district administration authorities had responded to her request for the security.

She said she was about to leave for Liberty Chowk when 10 to 15 policemen approached her office in Garden Town and detained her. At the same time, she added, some policemen visited her house in Johar Town and set up a picket outside.

Diep, who had been leading a vigil for Salman Taseer since his assassination, said the policemen had restrained her from leaving the office to hold the vigil. She said police were of the view that there was threat to the vigil.

Model Town SP Operations Shakir Ahmed denied having any knowledge of the police action. However, he added, the district administration had not given permission to the organisation to hold the vigil.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2018