PTI denied permission to protest at D-Chowk

PTI has been requested to provide a brief for security arrangements to be made, after which permission may be granted.

ISLAMABAD: Permission to protest against the alleged rigging in the May 11, 2013 elections has not been granted to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by the Islamabad Administration, Express News reported on Wednesday.

The PTI had planned to hold the protest on May 11 this year -- the one year anniversary of the May 11, 2013 democratic elections.

“We had accepted the election, but we have not accepted the rigging,” Chairman of PTI Imran Khan had said earlier in April, adding that those who were involved in the rigging should be exposed and brought to justice.

The No-Objection Certificate (NOC) that PTI had requested has been rejected because of the word jalsa used in it. They have also objected because there is no mention of preparations regarding lighting or routes in the NOC. The timeframe of the protest has not been mentioned either.

PTI has been requested to provide a brief in order for security arrangements to be made, after which permission may be granted.

Earlier when PTI had announced the protest, many parties had announced their support for it including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Tahirul Qadri's Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). Others, however, were not so inclined.

Leader of the opposition of the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had stated earlier on May 5 that his party had no interest in the protest.

Shah had said that Khan should take up these issues in an appropriate forum such as the Parliament, rather than becoming a part of Dr Tahirul Qadri's campaign.