ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) chief justice said that nobody can challenge the writ of the state, saying the decisions of the Supreme Court and the IHC are present regarding the protests.
A single bench of Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said this while hearing a petition filed by traders against the closure of roads in Islamabad due to protests and sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and another petition of the PTI seeking NOC for the sit-in and rally in the federal capital.
The traders adopted the stance in the petition that the PTI protest would cause the federal capital to come to a halt.
The chief justice accepted an application of the PTI requesting the court to withdraw the petition. Upon that, the bench disposed of the petition of the businessmen, as well.
He observed that placing containers is not a solution to the problem and that a modern approach should be adopted. The IHC chief justice also said that even if a protest happens in Rawalpindi, those travelling to Islamabad may face difficulty. He added that nobody can challenge the writ of the state.
In the last hearing, the IHC CJ, quoting intelligence reports submitted in the court, said that there was a possibility of another attack on Imran’s life. The police presented a report before the court saying that there is a possibility of another bid on the life of PTI Chairman Imran Khan during the protest, which Khan plans to join after recovering from his injuries.
Justice Aamer remarked that it is the responsibility of the government and the state to look into the matter and address this issue related to Khan’s security
The IHC CJ observed that the administration should decide the rules and regulations for the protest. He said that the same was ordered by the Supreme Court, as well.
The traders in the petition had adopted the stance that the SC earlier this year had sought an assurance from the PTI that it will confine its protest to a specified place. However, the petitioner said that the party violated its undertaking and marched towards D-Chowk and set trees ablaze and damaged public properties.
The petition added that the rally was finally called off on account of fear of bloodshed. It stated that the protest by political parties was to be seen through past experience starting from 2014 when a political party started a sit-in in the city for almost five months during which vital government buildings, including Parliament House and Pakistan Television, were attacked.
It requested the court to restrain the political party from entering Islamabad’s commercial areas and permission for public demonstration could be made conditional with a proper undertaking by the PTI of confining itself within the designated place outside the periphery of the capital city.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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