Verdict reserved: Agitation cannot topple government: LHC

Directs govt to submit detailed reply on arrest of PTI workers

LAHORE: A democratic government cannot be toppled or removed through agitation and even if a constitutional government has lost its mandate, there is a constitutional way to remove it, the Lahore High Court has observed.

On Monday, an LHC full bench headed by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar heard several identical petitions against the arrests of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf activists, road blockades and impounding of private containers by the government. The bench heard complete arguments and reserved the verdict.



The court also directed the Punjab government to submit its detailed reply on the arrest of PTI workers from across Punjab ahead of the party’s planned protest in Islamabad on November 2.

During the proceeding, the bench asked PTI’s counsel Ahmad Awais if the protesters would remain confined to a specific place and that the schools would also remain open on that day.

The counsel replied he could assure the court that their protest would be peaceful and within the constitutional limits and no illegality would be committed by the protesters.

The lawyer said the party decided to hold the protest against corruption after the Panama Papers revealed the Sharif family had offshore companies.

PTI Lahore President Barrister Walid Iqbal also assured the court the protest would be peaceful and in accordance with the Constitution. In many countries, he added, protests were staged against the governments over Panama leaks and they were given their right to protest.

But in Pakistan, Barrister Walid said, the government was harassing the protesters. He added he lived in his parents’ house but the police raided the house as well.

Justice Anwarul Haq termed the incident “disrespectful” and asked the AGP what action was taken against the police officials.

The AGP expressed his ignorance, saying he had come to know about the raid just now. Despite repeated questions of the bench, the AGP and the Advocate General of Punjab did not agree with the court not to block the roads leading to Islamabad.

The PTI lawyers also gave no clear answer when the court asked them for assurance that they would remain confined to a specific place for their demonstration.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st , 2016.