ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the government to provide an alternate place for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf ‘s (PTI) ‘Azadi March’ towards Islamabad.
The PTI has announced to hold a public gathering and sit-in at the Srinagar Highway formerly known as Kashmir Avenue. Authorities have denied NOC to hold the public gathering and sit-in and sealed all roads.
A three-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, took up the petition against the closure of roads.
The bench asked the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to sit together and resolve the issue to avoid confrontation.
“The chief commissioner and chief secretary should sit with the PTI leaders and hold talks to resolve the matter,” the bench said.
The apex court also said the government and PTI should come up with a venue to hold the demonstration and added that the PTI workers should record their protest and go home.
According to the SC, since the protest could not be held on the Srinagar Highway, both concerned parties should inform the bench about an alternate venue by 2:30 pm.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan directed the chief commissioner to arrange an alternate venue for the long march and formulate a traffic plan to allow people to access the venue.
He said Supreme Court does not want people’s daily routine to be disturbed. The bench remarked that the court will provide them cover if the PTI was afraid of arrests.
Justice Naqvi asked the attorney general whether the government had provided the PTI with alternative protest venues.
AGP Ashtar Ausaf said the government offered Democracy Park and some other locations to hold their protest but it insistent on organising its rally on Srinagar Highway.
He said the blockade at Srinagar Highway would impact the entire capital. The judge replied that the highway has already been blocked.
The bench asked the interior secretary to inform the court as to why did the government closed the roads and arrested PTI leaders. The secretary responded that the police chiefs and relevant officials would answer for these arrests.
AGP Ausaf had said the government did not allow Imran to hold a sit-in at Srinagar Highway because of security threats. He said security agencies had expressed concern that Imran could become a targetted and his life was in danger.
IHCBA President Shoaib Shaheen claimed that the police are barging into lawyers’ houses to arrest them. He said both protesters and government are bound to follow the Constitution and law.
