ISLAMABAD: Traders and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have filed competing petitions in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) focusing on the latter’s rally on Nov 30.

All traders’ associations of Islamabad have challenged the rally, fearing it would hamper routine life in Islamabad and have asked that demonstrators be shifted from the vicinity of Blue Area, the main business center in the capital, to some other area such as industrial exhibition ground near Faizabad or the F-9 park, the traders said in their petition.

PTI, on the other hand, has filed an application seeking the lifting of Section 144 imposed in the federal capital since the start of Muharram, calling it a violation of fundamental rights.

PTI lawmaker Asad Umar, in a separate petition, sought court directions to restrain the government from illegally harassing their workers.

Hearing the traders’ petition, Justice Athar Minallah of the IHC has directed the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) district magistrate to address the traders grievances.

Traders want rally venue shifted, PTI for lifting of Section 144

If the district magistrate fails to resolve the issue, the petitioners can come to the court again.

Eight traders associations of Islamabad from G-6, G-9, G-10 through their counsel Sardar Arshad Mehmood advocate filed the petition.

They adopted before the IHC that the business community felt threatened and endangered by the PTI chairman Imran Khan’s plan to reactivate his Dharna (sit-in) and so called Azadi-March on November 30 at D-Chowk.

Petitioners cited secretary ministry of interior, chief commissioner ICT, Inspector General Police ICT, district magistrate ICT and PTI chairman Imran Khan as respondents.

Petitioners told the court that they were elected representatives of the business community and the respective Traders Welfare Association/s of the Federal Capital.

The petition said the previous sit-in had already ruined and trampled the social and personal life of the residents of Islamabad. Petitioner alleged that PTI was staging the sit-in on the behest of district magistrate.

Petition contended that the respondents were under constitutional obligation to protect the life and property of the residents.

Petitioner requested the court to restrain Imran Khan and his party leaders, workers and allies from holding any sit-in, Jalsa or dharna on November 30.

The PTI petitions requested the court to declare Section 144 illegal as it would hamper free movement of their party workers and other citizen.

The PTI lawmaker expressing fear of arrests of party workers on and before November 30 sought court protection against the possible crackdown.

IHC Justice Minallah will hear PTI’s petition on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2014