LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the registrar office to fix for hearing PTI’s petitions against the deputy commissioner’s refusal to grant permission for a rally on Sept 23 along with the pending main case.

On behalf of the Punjab government, Assistant Advocate General Muhammad Farrukh Lodhi argued that a new petition should be filed for the relief sought by the PTI.

Advocate Khurram Latif Khosa, representing the PTI, said the district government had granted permission for two rallies at Minar-i-Pakistan. He said Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema Islam had held a public gathering there without any issue and now Maulana Tahirul Qadri was also going to hold a rally on 12th Rabiul Awwal, but only PTI was being discriminated against and denied permission.

Justice Farooq Haider observed that a contempt of court petition had been filed by the PTI, and a reply had already been sought from the DC on it.

PTI’s power show on 21st

The PTI’s lawyer said their main case was also pending before another court.

The judge noted that it was currently dealing with the contempt petition and was unaware of the grounds taken in the original petition.

He suggested that if PTI wanted to raise the issue of permissions granted to other parties, they should include this point in a new petition.

The judge instructed the office to fix the hearing of the all connected petitions of the PTI about the rally on Sept 23.

PTI-Lahore chapter President Akmal Khan filed both petitions.

Advocate Khosa pleaded that the court had directed the authorities concerned to decide on an application of the petitioner for the rally, but no action had been taken.

The lawyer said holding a peaceful rally is a constitutional right of every political party, and no one can be deprived of their fundamental rights.

He pleaded that not complying with the court’s orders amounts to contempt of court.

Therefore, he asked the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the DC Lahore.

Separately, PTI former MNA Aalia Hamza Malik and sitting MPA Imtiaz Sheikh also filed a petition in the LHC seeking permission to hold a rally at Minar-i-Pakistan on Sept 21.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar, along with some PTI leaders, visited the Lahore deputy commissioner’s office on Monday and filed an application seeking a no objection certificate (NOC) for holding a public meeting at Minar-i-Pakistan ground on Sept 21.

In the application, the opposition leader contended that the PTI had been corresponding with the DC office on the issue and its Punjab Senior Vice President Akmal Bari, as well as secretary general and opposition leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan had earlier applied for an NOC.

Mr Bhachar also cited an Aug 9 order of the Lahore High Court with regard to provision of the venue for the PTI’s event.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2024