Petition challenging 'Azadi March': LHC seeks rejoinder within fortnight to government's reply

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday sought rejoinder of the petitioner within fortnight to the reply of government on a petition challenging "Azadi March" by JUI-F and creation of a private "army" by its leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Earlier a law officer submitted a reply on behalf of the Interior ministry and said the private militia/razakar force of the JUI-F namely Ansarul Islam had been abolished.

He said all provincial governments had also been entrusted the powers to take appropriate action against the banned organization under section 2 of the Private Military Organisations (Abolition and Prohibition) Act 1974.

The petitioner Nadeem Sarwar pleaded that no private organization was allowed functioning as a military organization as it was an offence under the law.

He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman was using innocent children of religious seminaries for political motives against the government. He said the respondent party had also been spreading hatred against the elected government.

The petitioner pleaded that the dharna (sit-in) announced by the party was also a violation of fundamental rights of free movement of the citizens.

He asked the court to declare that creation of a private army as unconstitutional and direct the federal government to take stern action under the law against the respondent party and its chief. He also urged the court to restrain the respondent from holding the march and sit-in at Islamabad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019