The Lahore High Court (LHC) has scheduled the hearing of petitions challenging the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s 2014 sit-in for October 10. A three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice Alia Neelam, will preside over the proceedings. The petitions, initially filed by prominent lawyer AK Dogar, question the legality of PTI’s 126-day sit-in that took place in Islamabad.
AK Dogar, a key figure in the legal fight against the PTI protests, has since passed away, but his petitions remain a central part of the case. The LHC’s Registrar’s Office has released the cause list for the hearing, signaling a significant step forward in the long-standing legal dispute.
The 2014 sit-in, led by PTI, was organized to protest alleged electoral fraud in the 2013 general elections, which the party claimed were rigged. The prolonged protest, which lasted over four months, not only brought widespread attention but also raised important questions about political protest and legality in Pakistan.
The case has been in limbo for several years, awaiting a hearing. With the full bench now prepared to review the legalities surrounding PTI’s actions during the sit-in, there is renewed interest in the outcome of this legal battle. The hearing will focus on the arguments put forward in Dogar’s petitions, as the court weighs the constitutionality of the 2014 protests.
As the legal process resumes, the LHC’s decision could set an important precedent regarding the intersection of political protests and the rule of law in Pakistan.
