SAHIWAL, June 10: The District Bar Association in collaboration with local trader's organizations, activists of different political parties, representatives of civil society and district government has finalized arrangements to welcome and join lawyer's long march which is expected here from Multan on Wednesday afternoon.

The district government will provide full protocol to participants has also spared its lawns for the lawyers' public gathering here.

DBA office-bearers have established different committees to develop a liaison with different segments of society for mobilizing the local public to accord a `historic’ welcome to long march participants.

Earlier, around 70 representatives of traders under their apex body, Mutihada Traders Movement, had met DBA and assured their full cooperation. They said they would not only receive long march participants but would also arrange 50 cars to accompany the procession up to Okara.

Rai Hasan Nawaz, the District Nazim, has announced full protocol for all lawyers' leaders and participants during their visit to the city.

The long march rout has also been finalized. The procession will be received at Royal Hotel Chowk and it will reach the District Government lawns via Arifwala Chowk, Pakpattan Chowk, Jogi Chowk, Sader Chowk, High Street, Church Road, Farid Town Road, & Kacheri Chowk. A public gathering will be held on the lawns of the district government offices.

Meanwhile, around 500 lawyers will join lawyers procession from Sahiwal for Islamabad.

Tahir Bashir, Sahiwal DBA president, told Dawn that PML-N parliamentarians were using this opportunity for their image building and winning masses support while PPP officials were reluctant to be in the limelight. They were secretly making efforts and managing transport for procession participants. He said PPP lawyers' wing was fully supporting the long march.

He said trader's body would provide lunch boxes and water bottles to procession participants during their city visit. "We have made foolproof security arrangements. Nearly 500 police personnel headed by three DSPs are deployed to protect rally rout and venue,” Tariq Abbas, Sahiwal DPO, told Dawn.

OKARA: The long march will be warmly welcomed by hundreds of lawyers and activists of PML-N, Jamat-i-Islami, Tehrik-i-Insaaf and Anjumn-i-Tajaran at the Okara district entry point at Gamber on GT Road.