Long march: PTI moves IHC seeking permission for jalsa in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: In order to avert the bloodshed and looming collision between the marchers and the law enforcers in Islamabad, the PTI on Monday moved the Islamabad High Court seeking permission for staging a sit-in and jalsa in the capital.

The petition, filed by PTI leader Ali Nawaz Awan, says that the party has held several public rallies, seminars, corner meetings, public gatherings, and conventions in the past. It stated that PTI is a peaceful party and does not believe in confrontation with state institutions.

It has, therefore, sought the court's permission to gather the marchers in the capital city and hold a sit-in at the Sri Nagar Highway between H-9 and G-9 area and near the Weekly Bazar — which falls under the deputy commissioner's administrative control — following the Supreme Court of Pakistan's decision.

The petition added that the PTI was not granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the DC, despite having written a letter on October 26 deeming the delay "malafide". The party, in its petition to the IHC, mentioned that it contacted the DC again on October 28, but was refused permission citing the act as a "sheer attempt to usurp, hamper and infringe the fundamental rights of freedom of assembly, association, and speech".

The party has named the federal government and the interior ministry for violating the constitutional rights of PTI at the behest of DC Islamabad. The Islamabad Capital Territory Police has also been named as one of the respondents in the petition.

The PTI has, therefore, approached the court assuring to abide by the law and constitution during its long march in the federal capital and has sought the protection of the party's fundamental rights.