IHC summons Interior Ministry officials in petition against proposed PTI sit-in

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday summoned the officials of Ministry of Interior in person in a petition against closure of roads due to a sit-in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced to stage in the federal capital.

Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court Aamer Farooq heard the case filed by the president of All Traders Welfare Association Islamabad against the proposed PTI sit-in. During the hearing of the case, the court directed that the officer of the joint secretary level of the Ministry of Interior should appear.

Sardar Umar Aslam Advocate appeared on behalf of the petitioners while Deputy Attorney General Azmat Bashir Tarar appeared in the court on behalf of the federal government. The court summoned the Interior Ministry official and adjourned hearing of the case till Monday.

The petition filed by traders of the federal capital stated that after the no confidence motion against former prime minister Imran Khan, PTI voiced a narrative that their removal was part of an international conspiracy and threatened to overthrow the government by marching into Islamabad.

It stated that the Supreme Court earlier this year sought assurance from PTI that they would confine the protest to a specified place. However, the party violated its undertaking and marched towards D-Chowk and set trees ablaze and damaged public properties, it added.

The petition expressed apprehensions that the PTI would repeat the same if it was allowed to hold a sit-in in Islamabad.

It requested the court to restrain the political party from entering Islamabad’s commercial areas. Permission for public demonstration should be made conditional with the proper undertaking by PTI of confining itself within the designated place outside the periphery of Islamabad city, it added.