PHC issues notices to govt, CCPO over Khyber Road blockage

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) issued notices on Monday to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government, deputy commissioner and capital city police officer (CCPO) Peshawar against the blockage of Khyber Road near the provincial legislative assembly.

The notices were issued by the bench headed by Justice Atique Shah and Justice Syed Arshad Ali while admitting a pro bono petition submitted by the counsel Ali Gohar Durrani on behalf of a seasoned and well reputed journalist Jamshed Baghwan.

The petition contended that as per Article 15 of the Constitution, the right to freedom of movement of the public couldn't be brought to an end with the protest of a handful of people.

It pointed out that the protesters had been blocking the road near the provincial assembly, creating a chaos for patients, the elderly, children and women.

The petitioner made references to various judgments of the PHC, Islambad High Court, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Indian Supreme Court as well as judgments from the United Kingdom against road blockages.

The bench, after hearing preliminary arguments, admitted the petition for regular hearing and sought a reply from the respondents.

Road blockages by protesters are not a rare sight in the province or the country. A day earlier, on Sunday, the national highways in Balochistan remained closed and traffic was suspended to Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by people protesting against the martyrdom of Levies personnel in Ziarat last week.

The police managed to arrest PkMAP leader Pashtun Kakar and others for blocking the highway and creating a nuisance for people travelling from one city to another.

The police personnel batoncharged the protesters on the Sabi Road in an attempt to open the roads for traffic.

Due to the closure of Loralai National Highways between Quetta, Loralai, Zhob, Musakhel and DG Khan, the Quetta-Chaman International Highway remained closed at Mezai Ada.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2021.