LAHORE: The Lahore High Court summoned the capital city police officer (CCPO) on Thursday (today) to apprise it of the security plan the police have devised to maintain law and order in the provincial metropolis on Dec 15 -the day of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf protest.

A full bench comprising Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan, Justice Shahid Hameed Dar and Justice Anwarul Haq was hearing the petition of alocaltraders`leader onWednesday.

It sought protection of the people of Lahore on the protest day.

Naeem Mir through his counselpleaded that the PTI had given the shutdown call in Faisalabad but the administration failed to control the situation and a young trader was killed. He apprehended that the same situation could also happen in Lahore on Dec 15.

Additional Advocate General Abdul Aziz Awan appeared on behalf of the Punjab government and submitted a security plan for the day. He said Lahore had been divided into 164 parts for security purposes and 12 SSPs would supervise the arrangements. He said every SHO and Circle DSP would hold patrolling in the city on the day while 19,680 policemen had beendeployed in the city.

The law officer further told the court that special security arrangements would be made for 52 sensitive places, 63 markets, four important installations and 13 exit and entry points of the city.

HUNTING PERMITS: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday gave last chance to the Foreign Affairs Ministry to submit a reply about permits given to foreign dignitaries to hunt internationally protected houbara bustards and other migratory birds.

Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza observed that the ministry`s secretary would be summoned if the reply was not filed on the nexthearing.

The judge will resume hearing on Dec 19.

Naeem Sadiq, a resident of Karachi, filed the petition and said the permits could not be issued by the government and were in violation of Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) (Amendment) Act, 2007.

He said foreign affairs ministry issued 29 more hunting permits in violation of an interim ban slapped by the court.

Previously 33 such permits/ licenses had been issued by the government to foreign dignitaries of five Gulf states.