ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) finally received the official go-ahead to proceed with its rally on Nov 30 on Friday.

A No-Objection Certificate (NOC) was issued by the capital administration, but the organisers have been told that they will be responsible for their “internal security”, sources told Dawn.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of a PTI petition seeking safe passage for its workers to the venue of the rally after the district administration told the court that they had settled the modalities of the demonstration with the protesting party.

IHC disposes of PTI petition, district admin promises not to harass party workers

The three-page NOC allows the party to stage its rally on Parade Avenue and Jinnah Avenue up until the MCB Bank building. The cut-off time for the rally – according to the NOC – has been set as midnight on Nov 30, after which the stage will be dismantled. Additionally, participants of the rally will not be allowed onto service roads in the area. The stage, according to the NOC issued, will be located on Parade Avenue, facing the Blue Area.

The NOC was issued on the basis of a letter, submitted on November 27, as well as an undertaking assuring the government that the organisers would stick to the code of conduct agreed upon. The undertaking is signed by PTI Chief Coordinator retired Col Yunus Ali Raza.

The 24-point NOC also mentioned that the organisers and PTI volunteers would guard against a stampede.

Court case

On Friday, the district administration submitted a report before IHC Justice Athar Minallah, assuring the court that the administration would not harass or unlawfully arrest PTI workers.

In his report, the Islamabad deputy commissioner said that, “No citizen or PTI worker will be arrested under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) in pursuance of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), without prior permission of the district magistrate/additional district magistrate.”

PTI had expressed the apprehension that the movement of PTI workers and Islamabad residents would be curtailed by the government which may place containers on public roads to impede the rally’s progress.

The terms of the administration’s agreement with PTI prohibits acts such as the burning of effigies or flags of political or religious parties.

It also bars the organisers from using the sound system during times of Azaan.

Twenty walkthrough gates shall be installed at the rally and no infants or small children will be allowed, the NOC stipulates. CCTV cameras, it says, shall be installed by the organisers well as the administration, adding that the location of the PTI’s own cameras and the control room should be communicated be intimated to the administration.

The main stage of the procession shall be swept by the bomb disposal squad and police, besides checking its structural integrity.

The safety of the stage shall be the responsibility of the organisers, it stated.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2014