SC returns PTI’s ‘protection’ plea with objection

The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) constitutional petition, seeking directions for the federal and Punjab governments to allow the former ruling party to hold a peaceful protest in Islamabad.

The petition sought to bar the incumbent government from using force, coercive measures or “intimidation tactics” such as raiding homes of party workers, unlawful restrictions and blocking entry points.

The constitutional petition was filed under Article 184(3) through the PTI counsel, Ali Zafar. The petition termed the recent arrests a breach of fundamental rights of free movement, peaceful protest, association, assembly and freedom of speech.

The SC Registrar Office returned the petition after raising objections, saying that a similar issue had already been decided in the Islamabad High Court Bar Association case.

A copy of the court order is available with The Express Tribune.

It also objected that the instant petition contained scandalous matter in certain paras, noting that the petitioner did not approach the appropriate forum to redress the grievances.

In these "scandalous" paragraphs, the PTI had said Imran Khan was removed from office "through a murky and illegally orchestrated vote of no confidence". The party also said: "... In order to galvanise the people of Pakistan against this illegally orchestrated regime change, the Petitioner has been holding several rallies and gatherings all across the country."

It further said that "Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi was illegally ousted from the Prime Minister’s office through an orchestrated vote of no confidence in Majlis-e-Shoora on April 10, the people of Pakistan, in hundreds of thousands, came out (unplanned) into the street to register their protest against the illegal removal of the Petitioner from the government."

PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan had on Wednesday said he would announce the date for the next march to Islamabad as soon as the apex court ruled on the petition filed by his party.

In a rally held in Shangla on Thursday, Imran said he would give his next plan of action in a rally in Dir two days from now after "studying the Supreme Court decision".

The petition had stated that PTI supporters “have demonstrated (from their past conduct) that they will be peaceful in the exercise of their constitutional rights".

The government's actions against the workers and supporters of the former ruling party were also criticised, particularly the use of tear gas and arrests prior to the May 25 long march.

It maintained that the recent and ongoing actions of the government “are arbitrary, illegal, discriminatory, unlawful, and in violation of law as well as the letter and spirit of the Constitution”.

The party has decided to challenge registrar office’s objections.