LHC turns down plea seeking to halt PTI long march

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday rejected traders’ plea to immediately halt the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ongoing long march towards Islamabad.

LHC judge Justice Jawad Hassan heard a petition filed by Anjuman Tajran Pakistan Supreme Council Chairman Naeem Mir against the PTI’s long march towards Islamabad.

In its petition, Mr Mir stated that he feared there would be anarchy in the country if Khan is not barred from holding the long march. “The Constitution does not allow anybody to disrupt commercial activities and peace,” read the petition. The traders are in danger due to the public rallies and long marches, he added.

At the outset of today’s hearing, the judge observed that every political party has the right to record its protest and the court had already issued a verdict in Minar-e-Pakistan jalsa case.

Subsequently, the Lahore court refused to issue interim order against PTI long march and directed respondents to submit reply by November 14.

PTI on Thursday resumed its long march from the same spot in Wazirabad where the party chief Imran Khan was injured during an attempted assassination.

PTI’s Haqeeqi Azadi march, which demanded early and fair elections, was brought to an abrupt halt after Imran was shot in the leg during a procession.

The former prime minister and several other PTI leaders got injured after a man opened fire near the PTI reception camp at Allahwala Chowk during party’s Haqeeqi Azadi march.

ANNOYANCE OVER CLOSURE OF ROADS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Meanwhile, the LHC Rawalpindi bench on Friday expressed annoyance over the mismanagement of the Rawalpindi administration, closure of roads and educational intuitions.

While hearing a petition filed by a citizen Raja Khalid Mehmood, against the closure of roads and educational institutions due to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protests at different places in Rawalpindi, LHC Justice Waqas Rauf Mirza remarked that roads and educational institutions had been closed and the administration was asleep.

The court asked the Commissioner Rawalpindi why he was acting as a facilitator for those who blocked the roads. The LHC Rawalpindi bench adjourned the hearing till November 16 and directed him to submit a written statement of action against the people responsible for it.

Commissioner Rawalpindi, Deputy Commissioner and SSP Operations were also present.