Islamabad - The Islamabad High Court was yesterday moved against the announced foundation day gathering by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) at F-9 Park on April 24.
A petitioner Dr Waheed Mehmood Khan has filed the petition in the court saying that this political gathering will destroy natural beauty of the park.
The petitioner nominated secretary ministry of interior, chief commissioner Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Inspector General (IG) of Islamabad police, Chairman Capital Development Authority, Director General Environment Protection Agency and PTI through its chairman Imran Khan as respondents.
Dr Waheed moved the petition through his counsel Yasir Mehmood Chaudhry Advocate and contended that he was shocked to learn through media that ministry of interior and chief commissioner ICT will be allowing Imran Khan to hold a public meeting at F-9 Park Islamabad. He argued that as an Islamabad citizen, the petitioner has serious apprehensions that the large political gathering of PTI would destroy the natural beauty of the park that would not be possible to restore during this entire season.
His counsel maintained that petitioner is directly aggrieved by the PTI announcement of a public meeting, as he is residing in Islamabad and a permanent visitor of the park to breathe fresh air in the morning and to enjoy company of his family and friends on weekends. He added that Islamabad residents have already suffered a lot during the last two years from the affects of such political gatherings and protests when the green belts were given irreparable loss and still they need to be got restored.
Advocate Yasir stated that superior courts in number of judgments observed that parks, playgrounds and other public places could only be utilized for the purposes for which they originally meant. Further these places have a prior right for all citizens across the country to breathe fresh air and to enjoy with family and friends unlike these may be utilized for the public procession and public gatherings.
He said that everybody has a right of expression but under its pretext no one should and must be allowed to jeopardize the rights of other citizens.
Therefore, he prayed to the court to direct the respondents to re-locate venue for the political gathering and PTI may be provided with an alternative place to hold this meeting.