May 14, 2007	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 26, 1428

LAHORE, May 13: More than 5,000 police officials have been deployed across the city to maintain law and order on the eve of protest announced by the opposition and lawyers.

The opposition parties, including the MMA, the PML-N and the PTI, and lawyers had announced strike across the country in protest against killings in Karachi at the arrival of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The Mall, as usual, will be closed to traffic from Monday morning and witness heavy contingent of police, including anti-riot force, for the lawyers’ rally from the district courts to the Faisal Chowk at 11am.

The opposition parties are scheduled to converge at Nasser Bagh and rally up to Faisal Chowk.

Sources in traffic police told Dawn that around 750 traffic wardens would perform duties on The Mall and connecting roads. They would also regulate traffic at the temporary diversions being created to facilitate the commuters.

The capital city police officials told this reporter that police officials were being deployed at provincial and Lahore offices of all opposition parties.