IHC rejects PTI’s contempt plea over ‘denial of permission’ to hold protest

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) plea to initiate contempt of court proceedings for not getting permission to hold a protest in the federal capital despite a court order.

Adjourning the hearing till August 9, the court observed that the PTI could file a fresh application with the administration if the party had objections to the date or place of its protest.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the IHC rejected the PTI plea for initiating contempt of court proceedings against the administration because the party had been denied permission to hold a protest outside the National Press Club.

Earlier, this case was fixed in the court of Justice Rafat Saman Imtiaz and the court had directed the district administration to announce their decision on the application filed by the PTI seeking permission to hold a protest.

Aamir Masood Mughal of the PTI had taken the stance in the plea that the Islamabad deputy commissioner had not made a timely decision on the PTI’s application for holding a protest on July 29.

The PTI had filed the contempt plea against interior secretary Khurram Agha, and the chief commissioner, deputy commissioner and IG of the federal capital. The IHC stated that the contempt plea was rejected because no direction of the high court had been specifically violated. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued the written order of the contempt plea, in which it was stated that according to the district administration, the PTI had been given the permission to hold a public meeting in Islamabad.However, the PTI’s counsel stated that the date of the protest was decided without consulting with the party. The IHC said that if the PTI had objections to the date or place of the protest, it could file a new application with the administration. The high court adjourned the hearing till August 9.