LAHORE, JAN 17 (DNA) – Rangers paramilitary force has been called in to keep law and order situation in check as opposition parties gear up for an anti-government power show over the Model Town carnage at Lahore’s Mall Road on Wednesday.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) among other opposition parties have joined hands with Tahirul Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to demand Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah’s resignations over the issue.

The protest rally is scheduled to kick off at noon and all routes from Chairing Cross Chowk to GPO Chowk have been blocked for all traffic.

The Punjab Higher Education Department (PHED) has closed all public education institutions on Mall Road. A notification was also issued on Tuesday in this regards, which stated that Government College University, University of Punjab (Old Campus) and National College of Arts would remain closed today.

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The decision was made to avert any untoward incident and for students’ safety.

All major business centres on Mall Road, Regal Chowk, Hall Road and Panorama were also kept closed to avoid any untoward incidents.

Meanwhile, DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf told the media that only unarmed police personnel in civvies will perform duty as per the security plan of the Lahore Police. Snap-checking has begun at all routes leading to Mall Roads while volunteers of political parties were also frisking those arriving to participate in the protest.