LAHORE: The Lahore High Court was told on Thursday that the deputy commissioner also rejected PTI’s request for holding a rally at Nasser Bagh or Mochi Gate on Aug 13, following the earlier denial to allow the event at Minar-i-Pakistan.

An assistant advocate general stated this during the hearing of a petition filed by PTI Lahore chapter President Akmal Khan, challenging the DC’s refusal to grant permission for a rally in the city.

The government’s lawyer also presented the DC’s report rejecting the PTI’s request for the rally.

However, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi expressed dissatisfaction with the DC’s report.

PTI’s lawyer Khurram Latif Khosa said the DC had rejected the request for the rally despite change of the venue. He said the dates had also been changed and suggested allowing the rally on another day, if not on Aug 13 or 14, proposing Aug 18 or 20 dates for the party event.

The government’s lawyer said that Nasser Bagh had recently undergone renovation, so a public gathering could not be allowed there, while political rallies were also not allowed at Mochi Gate.

The PTI lawyer said his client complied with the court’s order and submitted requests for new locations.

Referring to Jamaat-e-Islami’s ongoing sit-in in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the judge asked what the government had to say about it.

The law officer said the requests from the PTI and two other political parties had been rejected.

However, he said that JI had not been granted permission for the sit-in.

The judge then asked what action had been taken against the JI, to which the law officer expressed his ignorance, saying cases [against the party officials] might have been registered in Rawalpindi.

The judge remarked that how a ban could be placed on a particular political party’s rally.

Justice Najafi asked the law officer if the petitioner’s party submits an affidavit for complying with the government conditions.

The judge observed that if, despite that [an affidavit], the PTI engages in illegal activities, the law will take its course.

“What are you afraid of? You are in the government, it’s your government. If there’s a small plot in the city, like two or five marlas, they can hold their rally there,” the judge asked the government’s lawyer. The law officer wondered how they (the PTI follower) can fit in such a small space.

The judge adjourned the hearing for Friday and instructed the law officer to seek further instructions from the government.

NOTICES: Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court on Thursday issued a notice to the deputy commissioner on a PTI’ petition for permission to hold a cake-cutting ceremony at the Liberty roundabout on the Independence Day.

PTI-Punjab Senior Vice President Afzal Azeem Pahat filed the petition, challenging the refusal to grant permission for the event on Aug 14.

The Punjab government’s lawyer Khwaja Mohsin opposed the petition.

The petitioner’s lawyer, Rabbiya Bajwa pointed out that Aug 14 is a national day, and PTI wishes to hold a cake-cutting ceremony at Liberty Chowk on the night between Aug 13 and 14.

She said a request was submitted to the DC for this purpose, but permission was denied.

The judge directed the government’s lawyer to submit a detailed response on Aug 12.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2024