ICT denies PTI permission to stage rally at D-Chowk

Undeterred, PTI continues preparing for Oct 4 showdown

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad capital administration on Wednesday denied the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) permission to hold a protest in front of Parliament at D-chowk on October 4. But it has not deterred the party from planning a demonstration against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The party had announced last month that they will stage a protest in front of the poll body’s offices in Islamabad unless members of the ECP, who are accused of bungling the May 2013 general elections, resign.

In this regard, PTI’s Farid Rahman and Capt (retired) Hassan met with Islamabad’s Deputy Commissioner Capt (retired) Mushtaq Ahmed on Wednesday to seek formal permission for the demonstration. At the end of the two hour-long meeting, the city’s administration refused to issue a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the PTI, citing precarious security environment in the capital.

Read: Imran announces protest outside ECP headquarters on October 4

“Under section 144 Cr.PC imposed in Islamabad Capital Territory, all public gatherings and rallies are banned. No political gatherings of any kind are allowed in the red-zone.”

The administration, however, suggested alternative venues for the PTI to hold its demonstrations.

“We gave them different options to stage their protest like Kashmir Highway, F-9 Park and Aabpara market,” a senior official of capital administration said. He added that “the PTI insisted on holding it (protests) in the Red Zone, which is not acceptable to the administration at any cost.”

Another senior official of the administration, whose jurisdiction extends to the proposed rally areas, told The Express Tribune that Wednesday’s decision was based on last year’s experience when PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) were allowed to enter the red zone. “This time, the administration is being careful.”

PTI adamant

Meanwhile, PTI says it is still making preparations for holding a rally at D-Chowk.

After the capital administration denied their request, PTI’s Additional Central Organizer Saifullah Niazi held a meeting with the rally’s organising committee to review the developments and preparations.

Niazi was the chief organiser of PTI’s Azadi march in 2014.

Read: PTI workers protest against Shah Mehmood

On the other hand, PTI’s Information Secretary Naeemul Haq told The Express Tribune that despite the party’s record of holding a ‘peaceful’ 126-day sit-in at D-Chowk, the administration had denied them an NOC. “PML-N is making excuses,” he alleged.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2015.