Islamabad - The trade associations of the federal capital Tuesday moved the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and challenged before it the November 30 protest of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI).
On the other hand, PTI has filed a civil miscellaneous (CM) application challenging imposition of section 144 in Islamabad that has been intact since the start of Muharram and termed it as a violation of fundamental rights.
PTI leader Asad Umar has also filed a separate petition before the IHC to restrain the government from illegally harassing their workers and preventing illegal arrests.
In the first abovementioned matter, Justice Athar Minallah has directed district magistrate of Islamabad capital territory (ICT) to consider the traders’ petition as representation and discuss with them their concerns and issue a speaking order to address their grievances till 14:00pm on Wednesday (today). He ordered that in case the district magistrate fails to resolve the issue, the petitioners can come to the IHC once again.
Eight trade associations of Islamabad through their counsel Sardar Arshad Mehmood Advocate contended before the IHC that the business community felt threatened and endangered due to the furious rhetoric and designs of the PTI Chairman Imran Khan for reactivating his sit-in and Azadi March on 30th November, 2014, at D-Chowk near Constitution Avenue, Islamabad.
The traders maintained that it would hamper the routine life of Islamabad city and in case the ICT administration allowed the protesters to protest, they may be allocated a separate place like industrial exhibition ground near Faizabad or F-9 Park.
The petitioners have cited federation of Pakistan through the secretary ministry of interior, chief commissioner ICT, inspector general of Islamabad police, district magistrate ICT and PTI Chairman Imran Khan as respondents.
They informed the court that they were elected representatives of the business community. Traders’ representatives stated that the petitioners were under immense pressure from the business community and the customers to initiate for protection of their valuable fundamental rights guaranteed under the constitution.
They added that Imran had directed all of his party leaders, workers and other well-wishers, from all over Pakistan and abroad, to ensure their presence in the rally and sit-in. They were of the view that the previous sit-in had already ruined and trampled the social and personal life of the residents of Islamabad.
The petitioner alleged that PTI intended sit-in was likely to hamper the trade, commercial and educational activities. They added that the PTI chairman had often been hurling threats to the senior police officers and other government officials with the motive to stop them from performing their duties.