Zubair Qureshi
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon has turned down the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) application for permission to hold a public rally in the federal capital on March 30.
The district administration has cited law and order situation and security concerns while refusing to allow the PTI a public rally on the said date.
PTI regional president Amir Masood Mughal who was also a candidate for the National Assembly seat from Islamabad had (NA-46) had applied for the public rally but the DC held that “in view of the law and order situation, rally cannot be allowed at any place including D Chowk.”
The PTI president had demanded permission and security for their rally in the capital. However, the DC refused to provide security to the rally, citing the enforcement of Section 144 in the city.
It may be recalled that the PTI had moved the Islamabad High Court for an order to the district administration to decide on their application for permission to hold a rally. The court had ordered the Islamabad DC to decide the application who however, rejected it.
A spokesperson of the DC office, in his reply to the application, said that they had denied permission for the rally for concrete reasons. The rally could endanger the lives of PTI leaders as well as the participants of the rally, he added.
It will also cause traffic stress from F-9 Park to Zero Point which could result in a security risk, the spokesperson further said.
Amir Mughal in his interaction with media said he sent reminder after reminder to the DC office, requesting to “exercise its constitutional right of holding peaceful public gathering” in Islamabad on March 23. I have written in my application that “…in case March 23 is not convenient, a rally on March 30 at 10pm at Parade Ground, or F-9 Park, or D-Chowk, whichever venue is deemed suitable to the authorities, may graciously be granted for the holding of the public gathering,” Mr Mughal said.
We have also assured that the PTI, its workers and all the participants will remain peaceful and the party will make sure that the participants adhere to the instructions and code of conduct issued by your office for the peaceful holding of the event, he stated.
After the refusal by the DC Office, our next step would be to challenge it in the court and we shall file a petition with the Islamabad High Court on Monday (today) as the Deputy Commissioner Office was denying us our fundamental right of public gathering, he said.
