The Supreme Court ordered the government not to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan and to provide space between Islamabad’s Sector H9 and G9 for protests.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan heard the petition of Islamabad High Court Bar Association against harassment of PTI Long March participants.
The other two judges of the bench were Justice Muneeb Akhtar and Justice Syed. Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi was among them.
After the adjournment hearing in the Supreme Court started at 5:15 pm, the Attorney General requested for more time, which was granted by the court, after which the Attorney General returned to the court with instructions from the Prime Minister.
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz-ul-Haq in the order said that PTI should be provided space between H-9 and G-9.
The Supreme Court, at the request of PTI, allowed a rally on Srinagar Highway and a protest on H-9.
The Supreme Court, acting as a mediator, ordered that no raids be carried out on the homes of PTI workers.
The Attorney General of Pakistan opposed the allotment of Srinagar Highway and G-9 Ground for the protest and said that he had rejected the request for a rally at G-9 Ground.
Justice Ejaz-ul-Haq said that the position of the Chief Commissioner is also heard.
The Chief Commissioner Islamabad who was present there said that the order given by the court will be implemented.
The court allowed the PTI’s assurance not to damage public and private property, but also directed not to disrupt the flow of traffic on the Srinagar Highway.
The Attorney General said that the people of PTI would be in the millions, where JUI held a meeting, there was room for only 15,000 people.
An eight-member committee headed by the federal law minister was also formed, which will meet in the office of the chief commissioner.
The Attorney General said that the ministers of the coalition parties have also been included in the negotiating committee.
The law minister is headed by Yousuf Raza Gilani, Faisal Sabzwari, Agha Jan, Asad Mahmood and Khalid Magsi are also part of the negotiating committee.
The committee on behalf of PTI includes Babar Awan, Faisal Chaudhry, Amir Kayani and Ali Nawaz Awan.
The apex court said that a meeting of the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) negotiating committee should be convened at 10 pm and ordered that those lawyers who have no serious allegations be released immediately.
The apex court said it hoped that the top leadership would instruct its workers not to take the law into their own hands and hoped that the administration would immediately end the use of force.
The order said that raids should not be carried out on the houses of the citizens and the citizens should not be harassed without any reason and the protesters should remain peaceful and public and private property should not be damaged.
The Supreme Court said that all persons arrested without FIRs should be released immediately but those who have criminal cases against them should be decided by the High Court soon.
The Supreme Court restrained the government from arresting Imran Khan and directed the Interior Ministry not to use force unnecessarily and ordered the release of the vehicle seized during the last 48 hours.
The court adjourned the hearing till tomorrow to ensure the sanctity and release the activists and leaders arrested under the PTI MPO.