IHC Intervention
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), founded by Imran Khan, took legal action on Saturday by filing a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to request the de-sealing of its central secretariat in the federal capital.
This move came after the Capital Development Authority (CDA) demolished a section of the PTI Central Secretariat on Thursday, citing a violation of building regulations, which elicited strong condemnation from the former ruling party.
The CDA’s anti-encroachment team initiated an operation to remove illegal construction and encroachments, leading to the demolition.
In response, PTI voiced its objections in the Senate, and subsequently, the party’s secretary general, Omar Ayub Khan, filed the petition.
The petition named the secretary of interior, chief commissioner, CDA chairman, and IG Islamabad as respondents.
In the petition, PTI argued that it was never served with any notice or order regarding the demolition, alleging malafide intentions, blackmail, and a violation of natural justice principles and constitutional rights.
PTI asserted that it legally purchased the commercial plot where the Central Secretariat was located in 2020.
The CDA, however, maintained that the operation targeted encroachments by a “political party” and highlighted that the plot was allotted to an individual named Sartaj Ali.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz criticized the government’s use of force against PTI, citing the arrest of the party’s local chapter chief, Aamir Mughal, and the demolition of the PTI office. Faraz accused the government of resorting to such tactics due to its failure to compete with PTI politically.
In response, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar defended the anti-encroachment operation, stating that it was carried out in accordance with the law and to address building bylaw violations.
He clarified that notices had been issued to PTI since 2020, with the final notice served in May 2024, prompting the action taken by the CDA.
Despite the government’s stance, PTI’s legal challenge reflects ongoing tensions between the party and the authorities, underscoring the broader political dynamics in Pakistan’s capital.
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