The Lahore High Court rejects the request for an immediate injunction against the ongoing long march of PTI. However, it summons the interior ministry, the Punjab government and the top officials of the police in this regard.
According to the report, Justice Jawad Hassan was hearing the petition of business leader Naeem Mir. During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer Hafiz Nauman Zafar advocate argue that his client wants the government to make large-scale arrangements to protect the life and property of the people apart from the traders.
He says that until the final decision of this petition, the respondents should improve the law and order situation in the country. Also arrange open space outside the cities for demonstrations, protests or processions of political parties within the ambit of the law.
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He says that the PTI workers block the entry and exit points on the motorways and other important roads.
On the question regarding the admissibility of the petition under Article 199 of the Constitution. The lawyer tells the judge that in the Lahore High Court 2020 case of ‘Harith bin Hasan Jang vs. Federation of Pakistan’ case of a procession taken out by a political party in Lahore, has given a detailed decision on similar facts and circumstances.
Hafiz Nauman Zafar Advocate adds that recently the Lahore High Court has also clarified the right to freedom of movement under Article 15 of the Constitution in the case of ‘Muhammad Umais vs. Cantonment Board Rawalpindi and others’. Justice Jawad Hasan remarked that it was not clear against which respondent the direction was being sought and under which law the petitioner had filed an application for an injunction to restrain a party.
The judge declares that every political party has a constitutional right to hold peaceful protests. The court had observed the same in the petition against the protest march of Vice President Muslim League (N) Maryam Nawaz.
When the application was admissible, the judge issued a preliminary admission notice to the defendants, including the federal interior minister, the Punjab government and the police, for November 14.
The judge directed the law officer to seek instructions from the concerned departments and ensure the presence of senior officers of the defendant’s departments who are familiar with the facts of the case at the next hearing.