On Thursday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled that no one had the right to hold a sit-in on public roads or highways.
The petition by local merchants protesting the potential road closures in the midst of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-(PTI) Insaf’s long march and potential sit-in in Islamabad was taken up by IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq.
“However, no one has the right to announce a sit-in on the Motorway and then block it,” the judge stated.
In attendance for the proceedings were Additional Attorney General Munawar Iqbal Duggal and Advocate General Barrister Jahangir Jadoon.
The traders’ attorney informed the court during the hearing that the containers were positioned on all of Islamabad’s roads, which was problematic for commuters.
The petitioner requested that the court issue an order ensuring traffic flow on highways.
According to Justice Farooq, Those who wanted to organise a protest rally had the right to do so as long as they did not infringe on citizens’ fundamental rights.
The PTI submitted a petition to the IHC on October 31 asking for permission to hold its protest and sit-in in Islamabad.
In a related development, the Supreme Court rejected a petition to halt Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan’s long march, labelling it infructuous.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial and including Justices Athar Minallah and Ayesha Malik, heard the petition filed by JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza to halt the PTI long march.
Murtaza opened the hearing by stating that two weeks had passed since the start of Khan’s long march.
PTI is free to organise a long and tedious march, but it is not permitted to cause any disruption to the daily lives of ordinary people.
