ISLAMABAD: After Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) announced to hold a protest in Islamabad against alleged rigging in the general elections across the country, trenches were dug outside the National Press Club (NPC) to stop its supporters from gathering there.

The piece of land located in front of NPC is considered as Islamabad’s Hyde Park as people use it to raise their voice and convey their messages to decision makers. It is the same place which has been used by relatives of missing persons for years.

The decision to dig trenches at the place shocked many in the federal capital, including civil society and even management of the NPC.

However, a senior official of the district administration said the city administration had nothing to do with digging of the venue. He also tried to put the responsibility on the management of the press club.

Party leader terms it an attack on freedom of expression and speech

Civil rights activist Farzana Bari termed it “complete madness.” She said it was the right of citizens to hold protests and rallies and raise their voice against any grievance.

“According to me the piece of land is similar to London’s Hyde Park where people go to record their protest hoping that their issues will be heard. Those who dug up the piece of land should have focused on addressing issues of the citizens rather than digging trenches to stop them from raising their voice,” she said.

“It seems that some children having zero IQ [intelligence quotient] are taking decisions. If they will make the place a no-go area, people will go to some other places to hold protests,” Ms Bari said.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon was not available for comments. However, a senior official of the ICT administration, wishing not to be quoted said the district administration did not dig the venue.

“In the past, while relatives of Baloch missing persons were protesting, NPC filed an application seeking security, so I believe NPC could be involved in it,” he said.

However, NPC President Anwer Raza, while talking to Dawn, said the NPC had no role in making the decision. “We are not the power which can take such a decision,” he said.

Secretary Finance NPC Nayyer Ali said the piece of land was outside the press club so the club management had nothing to do with it.

“Our manager had filed an application against relatives of Baloch missing persons as they had blocked the entrance to the club, but later we directed him to withdraw the application,” she said.

The PTI on Saturday held protests against alleged rigging in general elections across the country, including Islamabad.

The party’s supporters at around 1pm gathered at F-9 Park and then reached outside the NPC and found trenches dug up at the place where they had had planned to hold the protest.

Advocate Shuaib Shaheen, who was the PTI-backed independent candidate for NA-47, told Dawn that after finding the place dug up they decided to go to a park near the NPC and held the protest there.

“It was nothing but an attack on freedom of expression and speech. However, we went in the park and protested against the rigging,” he said.

Addressing the protesters, PTI leaders, including Sher Afzal Khan Marwat, Amir Mughal and Mohammad Ali Bukhari, vowed to continue their struggle against rigging and to get their right. The protesters dispersed at around 4:30pm.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2024