The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted permission to the PTI to conduct a political rally in the federal capital on April 6 after hearing their plea against the denial of permission by law enforcement agencies due to security concerns. Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, presiding over the hearing, emphasized the right to assembly and directed the capital’s administration to outline specific conditions for permitting the rally.
PTI’s counsel, Sher Afzal Marwat, expressed the party’s intention to hold a public gathering on April 6, with Justice Farooq cautioning the party to ensure there is no disorder. The state counsel cited security concerns and past rule violations by PTI as reasons for denial of permission, prompting the chief justice to stress the importance of setting reasonable conditions.
Despite the state counsel’s mention of recent terrorism incidents, Justice Farooq emphasized the need to continue life without interruption and tackle terrorism decisively. The court rejected the request for more time from the state counsel, asserting its role in making the decision promptly.
Earlier, the Islamabad DC had denied PTI permission for a rally on March 30, citing law and order issues and reports of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) activities. The IHC had instructed the DC to decide on the matter and submit a report. The application for the rally, submitted by PTI’s regional president, had requested permission for March 23 or March 30 at various locations, addressing relevant authorities.