PTI Karachi rally: 'Sindh government gave wrong information to the court'

PTI leaders Naeemul Haque and Arif Alvi ask why the government did not shut down preparations at the site.


Saba Imtiaz December 21, 2011
PTI Karachi rally: 'Sindh government gave wrong information to the court'

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has blamed the Sindh government for submitting "incorrect information" in response to a petition challenging the party's rally at Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi.

PTI leaders Naeemul Haque and Arif Alvi were speaking to the media at the planned site of the rally on Wednesday.

"The government intentionally gave the court wrong information which shows contempt and malafide intent," Haque said.

The party leaders said the petitioner had stated that the party's rally would be inside the Mazar grounds so it would hinder people who may want to offer prayers at the mausoleum on December 25.

Party lawyers said they had not seen a copy of the judge's order and were unclear on the exact ruling but believe that there is a stay order on the rally. Since they did not have the order, the lawyers were unable to say whether they would be appealing the decision in the SHC or reappearing before the court to ask them to strike down the stay order or appeal to the Supreme Court.

Haque and Alvi said that Sindh Home Minister Manzaoor Wassan and Home Department Secretary Waseem Ahmed had told them they had permission to go ahead with the rally.

(Read: Christmas day special: Home dept finally succumbs and says yes to PTI rally)

Haque also showed an email from Faridullah Khan, the secretary of the Ministry of National Heritage and Integration - which controls the rally site - which states that the PTI had permission to go ahead with the rally.

According to the party, "If we didn't have permission, why did the government not shut down our preparations at the site. We brought in containers here, our workers have been meeting here and we have held press conferences at the site."

Haque said the party had been in touch with the police and administration for the rally arrangements.

Haque also said that, "We have heard that the petitioner - Murtaza Lakhani - is close to Babar Awan and the new SCBA president Yasin Azad".

The party says it is optimistic that the court will rule in its favour. Haque was unable to tell reporters party chief Imran Khan's stance on the issue since he had not managed to get in touch with him as Khan also had a press conference scheduled at the same time.

PTI to appeal in Supreme Court

PTI Deputy Secretary Imran Ismail says that the party will appeal in the Supreme Court tomorrow (Thursday).

He said that if the party is not granted permission, they will go ahead with the rally at a different venue.

The alternative venue is Shahra-e-Quaideen, said Ismail.

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COMMENTS (32)

Adeel Ahmed | 12 years ago | Reply

Please see the venue Map below: It iso utside Mazar

http://www.insaf.pk/Forum/tabid/53/forumid/56/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/135602/Default.aspx#135602

Anwar Lodhi | 12 years ago | Reply

A shameful decision by the Court. I thought the courts are free in Pakistan. It is pathetic.

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