PTI sit-in: Move venue to a park, petitioners plea

Two citizens approach IHC to ensure protest does not hinder daily life

ISLAMABAD: The hardships faced by apolitical citizens of Islamabad during the 2014 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) dharna are still fresh in the memory of at least two citizens.

A petition has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking its intervention in providing a safe and secure place to the PTI for the planned November 2 demonstration to ensure that the fundamental rights of citizens are not infringed, public order is not disturbed, and the sit-in does not hinder daily life of citizens.

Petitioners Muhammad Yaqoob and Shehzad Ahmed Mir, through their counsel Hasan Murtaza Mann, approached the IHC after PTI Chairman Imran Khan urged the masses to be ready for a “decisive sit-in in Islamabad”.

The petitioners have made the federation, through the Ministry of Interior, and the PTI, through party chairman Imran Khan, respondents.

While referring to the 2014 sit-in, the counsel said that in addition to administrative and economic losses caused by the protest, the “common man suffered badly – probably, the most.” He added that the whole city was engulfed by feelings of insecurity and uncertainty, as leaving the house for work and other routine activities became difficult.

Among several other issues, they cited the closure of several educational institutions across the capital city because over 50 schools and colleges in the capital were converted into temporary barracks for Pakistan Rangers and police officials who had been brought in from Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to bolster the numbers of the capital police during the dharna.

In the petition, Mann argued that it is an established principle of law that where fundamental rights conflict with each other, “lesser rights”, such as the right to assembly and speech, yield in favor of higher fundamental rights – such as the right to life under Article 9.

The petitioners suggested that the court assign a separate space, such as Fatima Jinnah Park or the Parade Ground, to PTI and its supporters for the demonstration. They also requested the court to restrain the PTI from blocking access to government offices.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2016.