ISLAMABAD: In yet another bid to hold a power show in the federal capital, PTI founding chairman Imran Khan has directed party workers to make arrangements for the gathering this week.

Adviser to KP Chief Minister on Information Barrister Mohammad Saif, while addressing a presser in KP House here on Sunday, said the power show would be held in Islamabad on Aug 22.

However, the CM’s aide feared that Islamabad district administration once again might not allow the PTI to hold a public meeting in the federal capital.

For past several months, the PTI has been trying to get permission to hold a public meeting in Islamabad, without any success. In March, after receiving no response from the district administration despite multiple attempts, the PTI approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to seek permission to hold a public meeting in the federal capital. However, the district administration did not allow the party to hold the meeting. Later, the administration allowed PTI to hold meeting on 27th Ramazan, a date the party refused to accept claiming that workers would be busy in mosques.

Imran advises party workers to start making arrangements for the gathering on 22nd

Last month, the PTI postponed its planned power show in Tarnol after the Islamabad administration cancelled its no-objection certificate at the eleventh hour and police sealed the venue. The party then filed a contempt petition against the district administration for cancelling the permission. The court directed the government to decide on the venue of the protest in accordance with the constitutional provisions.

However, Islamabad Deputy Commi­ssioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, in a letter he signed, later explained that the closure of certain routes would portray the wrong image of the capital city in general and the country in particular. Moreover, it claimed, road blockades would deprive travellers of their fundamental rights.

Barrister Saif told the presser that the district administration was bound to allow a political party to hold public meetings in the city, but it was unfortunate that the administration repeatedly deprived the PTI of its right to hold a peaceful assembly.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2024