LHC wants to look at notifications banning rallies
The government had also barred drone coverage of these gatherings
The government had also barred drone coverage of these gatherings. PHOTO: @PTIofficial
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court directed the Punjab government to present copies of three notifications which put sanctions on public meetings, drone media coverage and the use of sheesha.
Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of the LHC issued this order on the petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf which termed such notifications as illegal and unconstitutional. The judge directed a law officer to present these notifications by May 8, the next date of hearing.
PTI MPA Shoaib Siddiqi filed this petition, naming the Punjab chief secretary, secretary interior and director general of public relations as respondents.
On PTI's plea, LHC tells govt to present notifications that prohibit rallies
The petitioner said he is the convener of PTI’s central administration committee for public gatherings. He said his party was arranging public gatherings to motivate people and make them aware about facts related to the corruption of the federal government. He added the PTI leadership issued a schedule of public gatherings in different cities. This included information about gatherings on May 5 in Nowshera, May 7 in Sialkot, May 12 in Sargodha, and May 14 in Abbottabad.
The Punjab government issued different notifications, imposing Section 144 of the CrPC in the name of maintaining public order.
Siddiqi said the Punjab government issued a handout on April 27, based on three notifications issued by the additional chief secretary. They stated the government has imposed a ban on the coverage of any public rally through modern devices like drones, heli cameras, balloons and UAS systems till May 31.
PPP to hold public rallies in Punjab
It was further mentioned in the handout that a ban has also been imposed on public gatherings outside and within boundary walls without proper permission from the deputy commissioners concerned.
He said PTI is a regular political party of the country and Punjab. The petitioner stated that the handout was a violation of fundamental rights provided by the Constitution and should be set aside.
He further stated that the notifications and the subsequent handout were merely issued just to victimise or harass workers of the PTI, who are starting a campaign against corruption and nepotism. He said the notifications not only bar the PTI from holding a gathering at any public places, but also from holding any indoor events, even at its secretariat.
He said if the assembly of citizens was peaceful and for legal or constitutional purpose, it is illegal to halt them. The MPA stated PTI arranged many peaceful rallies and processions in the past and there has been zero unrest at any of the planned rallies.
He prayed the court to declare the handout and notifications as illegal and unlawful. Siddiqi also requested that the impugned notifications be suspended until the court reaches a decision on the matter. The bench paid no heed to his plea for interim relief.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2017.
The Lahore High Court directed the Punjab government to present copies of three notifications which put sanctions on public meetings, drone media coverage and the use of sheesha.
Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza of the LHC issued this order on the petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf which termed such notifications as illegal and unconstitutional. The judge directed a law officer to present these notifications by May 8, the next date of hearing.
PTI MPA Shoaib Siddiqi filed this petition, naming the Punjab chief secretary, secretary interior and director general of public relations as respondents.
On PTI's plea, LHC tells govt to present notifications that prohibit rallies
The petitioner said he is the convener of PTI’s central administration committee for public gatherings. He said his party was arranging public gatherings to motivate people and make them aware about facts related to the corruption of the federal government. He added the PTI leadership issued a schedule of public gatherings in different cities. This included information about gatherings on May 5 in Nowshera, May 7 in Sialkot, May 12 in Sargodha, and May 14 in Abbottabad.
The Punjab government issued different notifications, imposing Section 144 of the CrPC in the name of maintaining public order.
Siddiqi said the Punjab government issued a handout on April 27, based on three notifications issued by the additional chief secretary. They stated the government has imposed a ban on the coverage of any public rally through modern devices like drones, heli cameras, balloons and UAS systems till May 31.
PPP to hold public rallies in Punjab
It was further mentioned in the handout that a ban has also been imposed on public gatherings outside and within boundary walls without proper permission from the deputy commissioners concerned.
He said PTI is a regular political party of the country and Punjab. The petitioner stated that the handout was a violation of fundamental rights provided by the Constitution and should be set aside.
He further stated that the notifications and the subsequent handout were merely issued just to victimise or harass workers of the PTI, who are starting a campaign against corruption and nepotism. He said the notifications not only bar the PTI from holding a gathering at any public places, but also from holding any indoor events, even at its secretariat.
He said if the assembly of citizens was peaceful and for legal or constitutional purpose, it is illegal to halt them. The MPA stated PTI arranged many peaceful rallies and processions in the past and there has been zero unrest at any of the planned rallies.
He prayed the court to declare the handout and notifications as illegal and unlawful. Siddiqi also requested that the impugned notifications be suspended until the court reaches a decision on the matter. The bench paid no heed to his plea for interim relief.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2017.