LAHORE: A set of pending petitions filed against the 2014 ‘Azadi March’ organised by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has been fixed for hearing before a full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum will hear the pleas on Oct 10. Justice Farooq Haider and Justice Tariq Nadeem are the other two members at the bench.

The main petition was originally filed in 2014 by senior lawyer A.K. Dogar, who passed away in 2020. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Inqilab (PTI) and citizens, Muhammad Kamran and Amjad Ali, were among the petitioners.

The petitions argued that despite court orders, PTI founding chairman Imran Khan and PAT chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri initiated the march from Lahore against the then PML-N government and staged a sit-in in Islamabad.

Main petitioner AK Dogar passed away in 2020

The petitions accused both the leaders of contempt of court for holding a prolonged protest and asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against them.

It is worth noting an Aug 13, 2014 judgement passed by a LHC full bench had restrained both parties – PTI and PAT – from committing any unconstitutional act during the protest.

The operative paragraph of the order reads, “The respondents No.4 and 5 (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehreek PAT) are restrained meanwhile from launching Azadi March, Inqilab March or holding Dharna at Islamabad, in any unconstitutional way, keeping in view the sanctity of the independence day and the current chaotic and uncertain situation prevailing in the Country.”

The petitioners had alleged that both parties’ heads were openly inviting public at large for so called revolution after toppling the federal and provincial governments except the government of the province of KP by announcing that revolution does not usher in without making sacrifices.

They said both of them instigated the public at large on different occasions that in case any damage was done to them, they should exterminate “Sharif brothers” and their families.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2024