On PTI's plea, LHC tells govt to present notifications that prohibit rallies

Govt had issued orders last month banning public gatherings and use of remote-controlled technology for media coverage

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the Punjab government on Friday to present copies of its notifications that place restrictions on public gatherings and the use of remote-controlled technology for media coverage in the province.

Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza issued the orders while hearing a petition filed by the Pakistan Teheek-e-Insaf (PTI) terming these notifications illegal and unconstitutional. The court directed the government to submit the notifications by May 8, the next date of hearing.

PTI MPA Shoaib Siddiqi had filed the petition on Thursday informing the court that he was the party’s central administration committee convener for public gatherings. He added that his party was arranging rallies to motivate the masses and inform them about the federal government's corruption  and a schedule had been issued according to which a rally would be organised in Nowshera on May 5, in Sialkot on May 7, in Sargodha on May 12 and in Abbottabad on May 14.



Siddiqi’s petition read that to curtail all political activities, the Punjab government had issued three notifications imposing Section 144 under the pretext of maintaining public order.

Based on these notifications issued by the provincial additional chief secretary, the Punjab government on April 27 issued a handout which stated that the government had imposed a ban on the coverage of any public rally through remote-controlled devices like drones, heli cameras or balloons till May 31. The handout further stated that a ban had also been imposed on indoor and outdoor public gatherings without prior permission from the relevant deputy commissioners.

According to the petition, the PTI is a popular political party in the country and the Punjab government’s handout is in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed to political parties under the Constitution and should be retracted.



The MPA nominated the Punjab chief secretary, the interior secretary and the director general of public relations as respondents.

The petitioner added that the notifications and the subsequent handouts were meant to victimise and harass PTI activists who were in the process of initiating a campaign against the government's corruption and nepotism.

Under the notification, the PTI is barred from holding gatherings not just at public places but also indoors - even at the party’s secretariat, the petitioner complained.

Siddiqi said the PTI had arranged several rallies in the past that had remained peaceful and had no intention of creating unrest. He requested the court to declare the notification illegal.