The Islamabad High Court (IHC) declared on Thursday that no one has the right to hold a sit-in on important national highways (motorways), affecting both passenger and commercial transportation.
The local businesspeople asked the IHC Chief Justice Amir Farooq to consider their case against the PTI protest, which they claimed would bring the federal capital to a standstill.
During the hearing, Justice Farooq stated that anyone who wanted to organise a protest march had the right to do so as long as they didn’t infringe on the fundamental liberties of regular people.
But no one has the right to declare a sit-in and then obstruct the highway, the judge said.
According to the petitioner’s attorney, commuters were having trouble because of the containers parked on the highways. Barrister Jahangir Jadoon, the Advocate General for Islamabad, stated that the PTI’s request for a NOC for the sit-in and rally was still outstanding and that it would be proper to consider both of these applications concurrently. Munawar Iqbal Duggal, the additional attorney general, declared that he had written to the ministry of law to request a legal opinion. According to the chief justice of the IHC, swift action should be taken in such situations.
According to the petitioner’s attorney, directives should be made to guarantee traffic movement on highways and motorways. CJ Farooq claimed that because the federation controlled the roadways and motorways, it could issue directives in this regard and that if the highways and motorways were stopped, trade would also be impacted.
He said that nobody had the right to occupy the freeway.
The IHC CJ added that Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had decided in the dharna case that all rallies will take place in the parade ground.
“Foreigners also reside in Islamabad, and the diplomatic movement is also impacted by these protest gatherings,” Justice Farooq remarked.
The court postponed the hearing to tomorrow after combining the traders’ appeal against potential traffic closures due to PTI protest with the party’s request for NOC for the sit-in and rally (Friday). The PTI petitioned the IHC on October 31 to request permission to organise its demonstration and sit-in and to demand that the government provide protection for marchers. PTI leader Ali Nawaz Awan filed the plea, which highlights the party’s participation in numerous public rallies, seminars, corner meetings, gatherings, and conventions. The PTI was seen as a peaceful party that disapproved of conflict with government agencies.
In response to the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s ruling, it requested the court’s permission to organise the marchers in the capital city and hold a sit-in on Sri Nagar Highway between the H-9 and G-9 area and close to the Weekly Bazar (which is under the deputy commissioner’s administrative supervision).
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