No Objection Certificate for rally: IHC adjourns hearing on PTI’s plea against delay

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) adjourned the hearing on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) petition against the government’s delay in issuing a no objection certificate (NOC) for a protest rally.

A single bench of Justice Amir Farooq on Monday heard the petition filed by the PTI ahead of its ‘long march’.

During the proceedings, advocate general of Islamabad told the court that the PTI’s request for holding a gathering has become “ineffective” and requested the court to dismiss the application.

In response the court said: “A sad incident has occurred, some more time should be granted to the party.”

Justice Farooq said, “The parties should sit together and settle the matter; otherwise, the court will see to it.”

In the last hearing, the AG Islamabad, Jahangir Khan Jadoon, had argued against granting permission for the march, saying "they have always violated terms and conditions, we are not trusting them."

The case is adjourned until Friday. In the petition, the PTI requested the court to issue orders to the deputy commissioner (DC) Islamabad to issue a NOC for the rally at Kashmir Highway Peshawar Morr in the context of the Supreme Court (SC)’s decision. It further requested the IHC to issue orders to the IG Islamabad to provide security for the rally and sit-in and to stop the harassment of the PTI workers.

The PTI moved to court after the government rejected the PTI’s sit-in request and the party had sought permission to organize the sit-in between G-9 and H-9 sectors on Srinagar Highway. The Capital administration had rejected an application of the PTI seeking permission to hold a public rally and sit-in in the federal capital.

The administration rejected the PTI’s NOC application and issued a letter to the party regarding the public rally and sit-in planned in Islamabad. The district administration, in the letter, asked the PTI to satisfy the administration in writing, adding that the party had violated the NOC that was provided to it on May 25.

Meanwhile, the capital administration had filed a separate application with the IHC, stating that it could not permit the PTI to hold a rally in Islamabad.

The Islamabad administration prepared an affidavit affirming 39 conditions to grant permission to the PTI to lead its “Haqeeqi Azadi March” into the federal capital.

The administration had asked for the document to be signed by the PTI chairperson, after which, it would allow the former premier to hold a rally in the capital for just one day, following which it wanted him to disperse, along with his supporters.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022