‘PTI activists forcibly entered Islamabad with KP govt’s support’

ISLAMABAD: The interior secretary has presented a report to the Islamabad High Court, submitting that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protesters, with the support of the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, used their machinery to remove obstacles and forcibly entered Islamabad.

They were asked to apply for permission as per the law to protest at the Sangjani location, and after not receiving a positive response, an offer was made to the extent that they could protest at the allocated location without applying, but the illegal march continued to advance towards D-Chowk.

In the context of the PTI protest, Interior Secretary Captain (retd) Khurram Ali Agha submitted a written report to the Islamabad High Court in a contempt of court case.

The report states that a committee was formed as per the court’s directions, and the interior minister, the interior secretary, the chief commissioner and the Islamabad IG were part of this committee.

It stated that PTI Chairman Barrister Gauhar was repeatedly contacted and told to file an application under the new law for the protest; however, no application was filed by the PTI.

An offer to protest at Sangjani was made without filing an application, but the protesters continued to advance towards D-Chowk. The PTI ignored the court’s orders and created a law and order problem in Islamabad.

The administration made security arrangements in the city at the least inconvenience to the citizens. As a civil servant, the interior secretary said he cannot even think of contempt of court. When Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC heard the contempt of court petition filed by traders in the case related to stopping the PTI protest at D-Chowk, the Interior Ministry sought time to submit the report. The state counsel said the report could not be submitted yet, and sought further time.

The chief justice asked what the problem is, why the report is not being submitted, you have to tell what you have done, and if it is difficult to tell. The court called for the report so that it could know what happened.

The chief justice said that this court had issued a simple order to maintain law and order and directed the administration to take care of the rights of the citizens, but the administration has made this matter so complicated.

The court directed the interior secretary to file a report and adjourned the hearing of the case until next week, after which a four-page written report was submitted to the court by the interior secretary.