LHC asks PAT to end Mall Road rally till midnight
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LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday allowed Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to hold protest rally with a condition to wrap it up by 12 midnight.
The court had earlier reserved the verdict in the case regarding anti-government protest rally by the joint opposition parties on the Lahore’s Mall Road. The media is also directed to not cover it after the midnight.
The LHC on Tuesday refused to issue a stay on the gathering and had issued notices to the federal and Punjab governments, IGP and Lahore DC on a petition, challenging the PAT’s protest rally along with other political parties.
A full bench, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, issued the order on a petition moved by Naeem Mir, a local trader. Justice Shahid Jamil Khan and Justice Shahid Karim Khan were the other members of the bench.
Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Peoples’ Party are all set to stage a protest at the Faisal Chowk in front of the Punjab Assembly.
When the hearing resumed today, the Advocate General Punjab informed the court about the steps taken by the provincial government to stop the protest rally.
The AG said that the protest organizers have already been informed of the court rulings and relevant laws in this regard.
Advocate Asad Manzoor Butt, the counsel of the petitioner, argued that the planned protest on The Mall was an open violation of law and tantamount to destroying businesses besides other challenges for citizens.
The counsel argued that the protest was unconstitutional as all the opposition parties had come out against an elected government. He said the protests caused loss of millions of rupees.
Advocate AK Dogar had adopted the similar contention. Both the petitioners asked the court to order the government authorities to stop the protest.
Latif Khosa, counsel for the protesters said that it is their right to launch protests against injustices and the parties have not decided on the future course of action.
The bench reserved the verdict after the arguments were concluded.
'Sit-in to end by midnight': LHC allows PAT to hold protest at Lahore's Mall Road
Saifullah Cheema |
Rana BilalJanuary 17, 2018
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The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday allowed Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to go ahead with its sit-in on Lahore's Mall Road today, but with certain conditions — including ending the sit-in by midnight.
The judgement was announced on a petition filed against the PAT-led protest being held today.
"Media should not cover the
dharna after 12am," court said in the verdict which had been reserved earlier in the day. "Lahore police should provide full security to the sit-in but the provincial government can take action if the sit-in gets violent."
Justice Aminuddin Khan, reading the verdict, stressed that the sit-in should remain peaceful, and added: "No one should be allowed to take the law into their own hands".
The PAT is set to relaunch its protest campaign to “force the PML-N out of power – both in the federal and provincial governments” ─ shortly and leaders of the PTI and PPP are expected to attend the inaugural rally on The Mall. The Jamaat-i-Islami and the PML-Q, too, have pledged their support.
A petition against the rally was filed by Advocate AK Dogar in the name of the lawyers' forum yesterday and was accepted for hearing. The petition had noted that protests called by political parties are against Article 124 of the Constitution. It added that such protests may cause disruption in the country.
Earlier today, a three-member larger bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, had heard arguments from the petitioner and the lawyer representing PAT.
During the hearing, the court had noted the importance of the fact that residents of the provincial capital were unable to reach hospitals and schools due to the rally.
In preparation for the rally, the Mall Road was closed to traffic for the most part of Tuesday, creating hazards for commuters. Yesterday, police facilitated PAT workers in transporting a container, hundreds of chairs and large screens for showing documentaries of the Model Town incident, and the sound system to the venue.
Early Wednesday morning, the stage was set and other arrangements were complete for the rally.
Advocate General Punjab Shakeel Rehman and former governor of Punjab Lateef Khosa were present in the courtroom for today's hearing. The home secretary, however, was not present in court and his absence was noted by the bench.
"He has a responsibility, he should have been here," the bench had remarked.
Presenting his arguments before the bench, Advocate Dogar had said that if the government is not able to ensure compliance with the laws, it should not govern.
"Protests have been held in the past, the government has been sleeping," he had said, adding that the government can use water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to stop the protest.
The petitioner had asked the court to order the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to direct media houses not to cover the protest so that it may die down itself.
"Democracy does not mean that the rights of the ordinary man are done away with," the bench had remarked.
The bench had asked Advocate Azhar Siddiqui, the lawyer representing PAT, if the party was holding a protest or a rally today.
In response, the petitioner said that he had heard PAT chief Tahirul Qadri say that the protest will continue until Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif resign.
"Now the matter has moved beyond resignations. PAT is now asking for the removal of the whole PML-N government," he added.
The advocate general told the bench that the organisers of the rally had been informed of the issues and the security risks involved.
The Punjab Government submitted a report on the PAT protest.
