KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday moved the Sindh High Court (SHC), seeking permission to hold a public meeting near Mazar-i-Quaid on April 28.

Petitioner Ali Ahmed Palh, who is the general secretary of the PTI-Sindh, submitted that his party had approached the district and provincial administration on a number of occasions for permission or no-objection certificate (NOC) in this regard, but to no avail.

Citing the chief secretary, Karachi commissioner and deputy commissioner-East as respondents, the petitioner contended that following the change of government, the PTI and its leadership were facing numerous challenges, including registration of cases and restriction on freedom of speech and assembly as well as a systematic effort to curtail the influence of the party.

He further submitted that initially, an application was filed with the DC concerned on March 21, seeking permission to hold a public meeting on April 21, at a ground adjacent to Mazar-i-Quaid from 4pm to midnight and proper access for people to the venue without any hindrance.

The petitioner also submitted that he had a detailed meeting with the DC regarding the process and timely permission and the deputy commissioner had agreed upon the venue and timing of such public gathering.

However, he maintained that since the DC had not granted the NOC, the petitioner moved another identical application on March 27, but no response was forthcoming.

Thereafter, the petitioner contended that they were forced to change the intended date by a week (April 28) and approached the chief secretary and commissioner, but they also remained unable to make a decision on the subject matter.

The lawyer for the petitioner, Ali Tahir, argued that the petitioner and his party were entitled to the protection of Articles 16 and 17 and had the right to assemble peacefully and sought directive for respondents to decide these applications.

The counsel also asked the SHC that in case of refusal by the respondents, the same decision may be set aside and directives be issued to them to grant permission for a public meeting on April 28.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2024