Earlier this week, the PTI had approached the Islamabad High Court seeking an NOC from the administration. On Thursday, the IHC disposed of the petition when the public prosecutor claimed that the NOC had already been granted for the assembly.
However, the Islamabad administration said in an official press release issued on Friday, without naming the party, that the NOC for the “political rally” was canceled due to “security concerns”.
She said the NOC issued by the Deputy Commissioner was re-examined due to security concerns and the Chief Commissioner decided to cancel the certificate taking into consideration the current security situation, the advent of Muharram, security concerns and reports from law enforcement agencies. issued for a political rally.
Speaking to reporters late last night, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan said his party would go ahead with the planned meeting “come what may”.
At a press conference today alongside PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Khan, Ayub announced that the party had decided to postpone the rally. “God willing […] we will hold it after Ashura through the legal process,” he said.
“Not only this jalsa, we will organize several more rallies in Lahore, Karachi and other cities,” he said. “Don’t force us into a mass agitation,” Ayub warned.
He said the coordinates for the Tarnol rally were provided to the party by the district administration. “Our preparations were going on till late yesterday evening… but then the police cordoned off the place and the deputy commissioner called off the NOC,” he lamented.
“What was the Deputy Commissioner up to? Were you sane when you signed the order? Didn’t you think about Muharram then?” the PTI leader asked.
At the start of the media briefing, Barrister Gohar claimed that several PTI workers had been picked up in the last few days and promised to take the matter to court. “We strongly condemn this state brutality,” he said.
“This government […] will only last a few days. God willing, our fight for democracy will continue,” he added.
Petition for Contempt
Earlier in the day, the party filed a petition in the IHC seeking contempt proceedings against the Islamabad district administration and the police.
The suit, a copy of which is available on Dawn.com, has named the Islamabad Chief Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Inspector General of Police, Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) and SHOs of Tarnol and Ramna police stations as respondents.
It said that the party had approached the IHC for the assembly to hold the NOC and during the proceedings, the court was told that permission had been granted for the same.
The plea pointed out that the Islamabad police arrested PTI Islamabad region president Amir Mughal outside the deputy commissioner’s office a day before the planned power show.
“All the respondents started creating hurdles in holding jalsa with mutual consent from the beginning of issuing NOC,” he said, adding that a number of PTI workers were also harassed.
The motion further stated that the grounds for canceling the NOC were “malafide”, “based on ulterior motives”, the result of “political victimisation” and “clear contempt” of court orders.
She subsequently prayed that contempt proceedings be initiated against the respondents and that the party be allowed to hold the rally as per the NOC. He also demanded that the authorities be restrained from harassing PTI workers.
