Despite SC order, marchers stay put at Constitution Avenue

Published August 26, 2014
All eyes would now be on tomorrow's hearing for how the bench would react at the violation of their orders. — Photo by AFP
All eyes would now be on tomorrow's hearing for how the bench would react at the violation of their orders. — Photo by AFP

ISLAMABAD: Protesters continue to throng D-Chowk despite the Supreme Court’s order a day earlier to vacate Constitution Avenue.

Despite the order to vacate the route, pockets of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) protesters were seen on Constitution Avenue on the 13th day of Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri's anti-government protests in the capital.

The Supreme Court on Monday had asked the parties holding sit-ins on Constitution Avenue to clear the road, after which Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar had also directed the local city administration and law enforcement agencies to implement the apex court's orders.

However, no police officials took action against the crowd of protesters by early afternoon.

Read more: Confusion persists over SC direction about removal of marchers

During the hearing of petitions against the sit-ins a day earlier, Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk heading a five-judge bench had said: “The test will be when we come to the Supreme Court from the Judges Enclave through the Constitution Avenue on Tuesday."

But Constitution Avenue remained blocked today and judges had to take the Federal Cabinet Secretariat route to reach Supreme Court. The legal counsels of PTI and PAT were expected to submit their responses in court with the hearing adjourned to Wednesday (tomorrow).

For the past many days, judges, including the chief justice, have to take a long detour to reach the Supreme Court. A number of cases have also been adjourned because neither the counsel nor the litigants could reach the court.


Protesters refuse to leave


The government on Tuesday submitted its response in the Supreme Court for the ongoing case against sit-ins.

The report stated that Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) protesters had refused to vacate Constitution Avenue.

The report added that Attorney General Salman Butt and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Jawad Paul had also offered the protesters two alternative places to continue their sit-ins at.


PTI, PAT submit response


Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on Tuesday also submitted their responses in Supreme Court.

PTI counsel Hamid Khan said that PTI protesters were not causing blockade to any traffic, however, PAT maintained that it was their constitutional right to protest.

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