Asserting that national interests are aligned with the Constitution, the Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected the government’s stance on Monday, which had refused permission for a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) public meeting near the Mazar-i-Quaid citing “security concerns.”
A two-judge bench led by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi stated that there was insufficient justification for the denial of permission.
The bench once again instructed the authorities to make a decision on the PTI’s application within 10 days and submit a compliance report. The chief justice added that if feasible, the authorities could consider an alternative venue with the petitioner’s agreement.
During Monday’s hearing, the home department and deputy commissioner-East submitted reports stating that permission for a public gathering could not be granted until the security threat was resolved. The reports mentioned that the Sindh police chief had advised against granting permission due to security concerns.
The chief justice criticized the authorities for consistently attempting to prevent the PTI from holding the rally, especially when another party had already organized an event in the city on May 2.
Expressing his displeasure, the chief justice asked a provincial law officer to file an application if they were seeking a complete ban on the PTI. He questioned the authorities’ commitment to democracy, stating, “How long will such tactics be effective?”
The chief justice also cautioned that officials responsible for preparing these reports could face consequences.
Last month, the PTI had approached the SHC after district and provincial authorities did not respond to its requests for permission to hold a public meeting at Bagh-i-Jinnah in front of the Quaid’s mausoleum.
