ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the government to restore normalcy in the city and designate a location for PTI to hold its protest.

In a petition filed with the IHC, the capital city’s traders lamented that life has come to a halt in Islamabad, where mobile phone services have been suspended and roads are blocked.

While hearing the petition on Saturday, IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq said he also had to “pass through containers” to get to the court. He then summoned the interior secretary and asked him why roads had been blocked.

The secretary explained that the Malaysian prime minister was in Islamabad and a Saudi delegation is expected to arrive in a few days.

The court was also told that PTI workers “have made inroads and are marching towards the Red Zone” to hold a protest at D-Chowk, according to a three-page order released after the hearing.

The federal government has called in the army “to ensure peace and law and order” and Section 144 has been imposed to ban all gatherings, the order stated.

During the hearing, the IHC chief justice remarked that no one has the right to block roads. “You should provide them a suitable place to protest,” he told the interior secretary.

“It seems like a curfew is in place in the city, and you must take steps to bring things back to normal. It is your responsibility to ensure that Islamabad remains a peaceful city,” the IHC CJ said, questioning what impression the blocked capital city would leave on foreign delegations. He ordered the federal government and local administration to ensure that PTI’s protest was held at the designated place.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2024