‘Allowing Azadi March made a mockery of law’, says Justice Khan

Bench headed by Justice Khan seek directions to the government to stop the PTI from holding its November 30 gathering

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court heard two petitions on Friday regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s gathering planned for November 30.

A full bench headed by Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan admitted for regular hearing, a plea seeking directions to the government to stop the PTI from holding its November 30 gathering.

The court also issued notices to the federal and provincial governments, and PTI chief Imran Khan. The hearing was adjourned till November 24.

The petitioner said that the PTI was trying to derail the country’s democratic set up and should therefore not be allowed to hold political rallies and gatherings.

Justice Khan remarked that the government had earlier failed to implement the court’s orders to stop the PTI from holding the Azadi March on August 14, thus “making a mockery of the Constitution”.

Separately, Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa asked the petitioner’s counsel to argue on the maintainability of his petition challenging the alleged arrest of PTI workers ahead of the November 30 gathering.

He directed federal and provincial law officers to produce instructions on the matter from the relevant authorities.  Advocate Gohar Nawaz Sinhdu had moved the petition saying that the government was arresting PTI workers ahead of PTI’s gathering.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2014.