PTI’s legal representative, Barrister Ali Tahir, argued that the court had previously mandated a decision within 10 days, but the matter remains unresolved since November 9
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed relevant authorities to comply with its order within three weeks regarding a contempt of court petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The petition arose after PTI was denied permission to hold a rally at Bagh-e-Jinnah, near Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi.
The hearing on Tuesday featured appearances by PTI leader Haleem Adil Sheikh, the Deputy Commissioner, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) South, and other officials. PTI’s legal representative, Barrister Ali Tahir, argued that the court had previously mandated a decision within 10 days, but the matter remains unresolved since November 9. Tahir noted that other political parties had been granted permission to hold rallies at the same venue, underscoring a perceived bias in the denial of PTI’s request.
In response, the Deputy Commissioner and SSP South presented a report citing security concerns as the reason for refusing permission for the PTI rally. The report stated that the security situation did not allow for such a large gathering at Bagh-e-Jinnah. The SHC reviewed the submissions and reiterated its directive, demanding that the original ruling be enforced within the new three-week timeframe. The court had previously issued notices on June 13 to the Deputy Commissioner and SSP East following PTI’s contempt of court application. PTI argued that the denial of the rally violated its fundamental rights as outlined in Articles 16 and 17 of the Constitution.
The court had earlier held that prohibiting the rally was a violation of these rights and inconsistent with Supreme Court decisions. The SHC’s order on May 16 had explicitly instructed the authorities to permit the rally at Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground. On May 13, the Deputy Commissioner East submitted a sealed report, which was deemed insufficient in justifying the refusal. The court noted that a similar rally was held on May 2 in proximity to Bagh-e-Jinnah and questioned the validity of a security threat alert issued prior to a rally on April 19, for which no substantial evidence was provided.
Despite repeated opportunities to justify their actions, the Deputy Commissioner, SSP East, and other officials failed to offer a satisfactory explanation for the rally’s prohibition, even after the deadline set by the court had passed. The SHC’s latest order underscores the court’s commitment to ensuring compliance with its rulings and addressing perceived injustices in the handling of political gatherings.
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