RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench has given the PPP conditional permission to prepare for a public meeting commemorating former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary at Liaquat Bagh on Dec 27.

The bench headed by Justice Tariq Abbasi has also summoned the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner tomorrow (Thursday) to present a report and comments on the administration’s refusal of permission for the event.

The single bench was hearing a petition filed by PPP City President Babar Jadoon through his lawyer Saeed Yousaf Khan after the district administration refused to let the PPP hold its public meeting at Liaquat Bagh.

PPP Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira and General Secretary Chaudhry Manzoor were among a large number of party workers and supports who were present at the hearing.

Rawalpindi DC summoned to court tomorrow

The court granted conditional permission for the public gathering after hearing the plaintiff’s counsel and summoned the Rawalpindi district administration on Dec 26.

The Rawalpindi deputy commissioner had denied the PPP permission to hold its rally for security reasons, after the party sought permission and security for the event.

Mr Khan pleaded before the court that the party wanted to hold a public gathering at Liaquat Bagh on Dec 27 to observe Benazir’s death anniversary, for which a due application was moved to the deputy commissioner. He said the deputy commissioner declined permission in a letter dated Dec 23.

He said this was a violation of a fundamental right under the Constitution and could not be considered justified or legal.

After hearing the arguments from the petitioner’s lawyer, the court directed Assistant Advocate General Mirza Asif Abbas to establish contact with the deputy commissioner and ask them to file reports and para wise comments along with material on the basis of which permission was refused, at the next date of hearing.

In his written orders, Justice Abbasi said: “The gathering in question shall be subject to decision of the instant writ petition but due to shortage of time, the preparation/arrangements would not be possible, hence permission for necessary arrangements at the spot may be granted.”

“The petitioner’s party may make arrangements at the spot but it is made clear that the same as well as public gathering shall be subject to decision of the writ petition,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2019