Islamabad - The Islamabad High Court Tuesday summoned deputy commissioner Islamabad to appear before the court in person on Wednesday (today) in Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf writ petition in which it had challenged the imposition of section 144 in Islamabad capital territory by the administration of the federal capital.
A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Athar Minallah issued these orders on the petition of PTI leaders who moved the court through their counsel Farrukh Daal Advocate and adjourned the hearing till Wednesday (today).
During the hearing of the petition, all the petitioners including Jahangir Tareen, secretary general PTI, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, vice-chairman PTI, Dr Arif Alvi, Asad Umar and Shafqat Mehmood appeared before the court.
Talking to media after court proceedings, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that on the pretext of section 144, the government is arresting and harassing the peaceful protesters. He said that despite court directions, Islamabad administration did not remove containers from the roads of federal capital for its political motives and the administration is arresting political workers. Qureshi remarked that the change is not occurring rather the same has occurred in this country.
In their petition, they nominated ministry of interior, inspector general of Islamabad police, IGP Punjab, IGP Azad Jammu & Kashmir, chief commissioner and deputy commissioner ICT as respondents.
They maintained before the court that the freedom of speech is a fundamental right recognised at international level and an essential component of democracy. The petitioners added that PTI started off its Azadi March, which was announced earlier on June 27 in a public gathering in Bahawalpur, and has been protesting peacefully against the massive rigging in the May 2013 general elections. They stated that PTI moved from Kashmir Highway to Constitution Avenue peacefully. They alleged that the former IGP Aftab Cheema refused to the instructions of interior ministry and thus he was penalised.
They informed the court that in the peaceful protest, the PTI chief had been demanding resignation of the prime minister for impartial investigations into the May 2013 elections. They said that between the night of 30th and 31st August several PTI workers, supporters and participants of PTI sit-in were arrested by Islamabad, Punjab and AJ&K police while deputy commissioner Islamabad proclaimed section 144 in Islamabad capital territory on August 07.
The petitioners contended that after the PTI chief announced to celebrate One Nation Day on successful completion of one month of the sit-in, the law enforcement agencies started harassment of the PTI workers and thousands of PTI workers have been arrested under section 144 so far. They argued before the court that the imposition of section 144 is tainted with ulterior motives.
Therefore, they prayed to the court to declare the imposition of section 144 as illegal, besides announcing that all actions taken under it were without lawful authority. The petitioners also requested the court to bar the respondents from detaining the participants of the PTI sit-in illegally.