PTI, administration ordered to consult regarding protest in Islamabad

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday ordered the district administration to consult with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) within two hours on the issue of permission to protest.

According to the details, Justice Saman Riffat Imtiaz of IHC heard the petition filed by Amir Mughal for permission to protest in Islamabad on July 26. Shoaib Shaheen appeared in court on behalf of the petitioner, while State Councilor Malik Abdul Rehman appeared on behalf of the district administration.

The State Council told the court that PTI's application has been received and an order has been passed on it.

Justice Saman Riffat said: “I think there is another protest in Islamabad today,” to which the State Council replied that any other protest in Islamabad is not in his knowledge.

The State Council told the court that the district administration has rejected all the requests to protest inside Islamabad, no one can get any permission at this time for the safety of the citizens.

Shoaib Shaheen stated that they had applied for the rally, the NOC was given and then it was cancelled. At our request, the Chief Justice directed them to take a decision. We are talking to them about the protest, that is a different matter. ‘We want to protest peacefully outside the National Press Club at this time, which is our constitutional right, there is no need to seek permission for protests, meetings, etc. There is a decision of the High Court’.

The State Council added that the order being referred to was not passed regarding Article 144. Justice Saman said that no one can protest following the reasons you are giving.

The court inquired whether it is written somewhere in the law that a large number of public or a large number of women cannot gather together. The press club is located in the heart of the city, so there cannot be a protest outside the press club, are you saying that they cannot protest outside the press club?

The court said that you have to tell us by law that more than this number of people cannot protest outside the press club or you should make a law that more than this number of people cannot gather outside the press club.

PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen further said that if they don't allow us outside the press club, then allow us to go to F-9 Park.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing for two hours and ordered the PTI to consult the administration regarding the protest and inform the court at 12:30pm.