ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers on Friday subjected the employees of the Supreme Court, lawyers and litigants to ‘security check’.

They did not allow their vehicles to pass through the Constitution Avenue. They, however, let the pedestrians, mostly the employees of the Supreme Court, go after frisking them and checking their identity cards.

The PAT security men claimed that there was a terror threat so they had no choice but to check everyone passing through the sit-in venue.

The PAT and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) workers have been sitting in front of the Parliament House and the Supreme Court building since August 19, making the road impassable for the SC, PM and Secretariat employees.

Vehicles were not allowed to pass through Constitution Avenue on Friday

Mohammad Sufyan, a PAT worker detailed on the security duty, said there was a threat of terrorist attack on Tahirul Qadri and the participants of the sit-in so vehicles were not allowed to go to the parking of the Supreme Court.

Saeed Latif, another security man of the PAT, however, said the security measures had been taken because of the Jumma prayers, which was offered on the road in front of the Parliament building.

“Suicide attackers prefer to blow themselves up during prayers. So we were more alert on Friday and checked every person who wanted to go to the Supreme Court building,” he said.

Lawyers raised issue in the SC

The president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Kamran Murtaza, and Advocate Athar Shah Bukhari informed the SC bench, hearing identical petitions filed against the sit-ins, that they were denied access to the Supreme Court building.

“It has become difficult for us to reach the Supreme Court. Police do not check us but workers of PAT not only do body search but also demand CNICs,” Mr Shah said.

Advocate on Record Sardar Mohammad Sidique Khan while talking to Dawn said because of the situation he preferred to hire a cab.

“Radio Pakistan Chowk was closed so I told the taxi driver to drop me in front of Parliament Lodges and from there I came to the Supreme Court on foot. The PAT workers were asking for CNICs and doing body search which was annoying,” he said.

A security official of the Supreme Court, who was not authorised to speak on record, said most of the employees of the court had to undergo body search by the PAT workers on Friday.

“A number of cases were adjourned because people from other cities could not reach Islamabad,” he said.

“Police are not taking any action against them because in case of any incident it will become a matter of embarrassment for the police and the government,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd , 2014