LAHORE: A Lahore High Court full bench on Thursday sought personal appearance of the Punjab chief secretary, the inspector general of police (IGP), the commissioner and the deputy commissioner in relation to petitions filed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) seeking permission for a rally scheduled on Sept 21.

Insaf Lawyers’ Forum-Pakistan President Ishtiaq A Khan and Advocate Khurram Latif Khan Khosa appeared on behalf of the petitioners including PTI former MNA Aliya Hamza Malik, MPA Imtiaz Mahmood Sheikh and Akmal Khan.

The lawyers said the district government did not permit the petitioners to hold their party’s rally at Minar-i-Pakistan. They pointed out that the DC had been delaying a decision on the applications filed by the petitioners for a rally.

The lawyers argued that holding a peaceful rally was a constitutional right of every political party, and no one can be deprived of their fundamental rights.

They asked the court to order the government to permit the PTI rally at Minar-i-Pakistan and also restrain the police from harassing and arresting the workers of the party.

Headed by Justice Farooq Haider, the full bench directed a law officer to ensure personal appearance of the respondent authorities in the court on Friday (today). The bench also summoned Advocate General of Punjab Khalid Ishaq.

Justice Tariq Nadeem and Justice Ali Zia Bajwa were other members of the bench.

The same full bench disposed of a petition seeking to block PTI’s rallies in Punjab, declaring it unjustified.

The bench expressed displeasure with the petitioner’s lawyer, questioning the validity of such a request.

Justice Bajwa questioned, “What kind of petition is this, and how can such a petition be filed?”

Advocate Nadeem Sarwar, the petitioner’s counsel, argued that the petition was filed to highlight violation of fundamental rights. He said no public rally could be held without permission by the authorities.

However, Justice Bajwa observed that the petition should be dismissed with a fine of Rs100,000.

The lawyer was given the option to either withdraw the petition or the court should decide it on merits.

The counsel chose to withdraw the petition and the bench disposed it of being withdrawn.

A citizen, Mirza Wahid Rafiq, filed the petition citing ‘hate’ speeches made by the PTI leaders at a previous rally held in Islamabad.

Earlier, Justice Haider took up the petitions related to the PTI rally in a single bench and recommended the chief justice to form a larger bench to decide the matter.

Later, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum constituted the full bench headed by Justice Haider, which heard the petitions.

SALMAN AKRAM RAJA: The Lahore High Court on Thursday restrained Punjab police from arresting PTI’s leader Advocate Salman Akram Raja until Sept 23.

Justice Abid Hussain Chattha heard a petition filed by Mr Raja expressing concerns about his possible arrest.

Advocate Ishtiaq A. Khan appeared on behalf of the PTI leader and alleged that the government wanted to prevent the petitioner from participating in the Lahore rally scheduled on Sept 21.

He said politically-motivated cases had been registered against the petitioner.

The counsel further stated that details of the cases and inquiries were not being provided to the petitioner, so the court should summon records of known and unknown cases.

He also asked the court to restrain the police from arresting the petitioner.

The judge allowed the interim relief to the petitioner and sought replies from the respondents by next hearing.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2024