LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted conditional permission to Pakistan Awami Tehreek-led (PAT) opposition alliance for holding a protest rally on Mall Road.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan and comprising Justices Shahid Jamil Khan and Shahid Karim, announced the verdict in a case filed by Advocate AK Dogar in the name of the lawyers’ forum yesterday.
In his verdict, the court ordered the parties to end the protest by 12 am (midnight), adding that media will not give coverage to the protest after midnight.
A protest by Dr. Tahirul Qadri-led Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and other political parties is underway, forcing the PML-N government in the province and federal to leave in wake of Model Town incident.
A larger bench announced the decision in case filed by Advocate AK Dogar in the name of the lawyers’ forum yesterday.
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Earlier today, Advocate General Punjab Shakeel Rehman and former governor of Punjab Lateef Khosa attended the hearing, while home secretary failed to appear before the court.
The petitioners argued that the protest will create disruption in the country, adding that people will have to face hindrances due to blockade of Mall Road, which is an economic hub of Lahore.
Dogar giving arguments said that the government should not have right to govern if it cannot implement the laws. He added that the government can stop the protest by using force.
He also asked the court to order the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to bar media houses from giving coverage to the protest.
The bench remarked that a common man cannot be deprived of his right in the democracy.
The court asked PAT counsel regarding time duration of the protest. In response, Advocate Azhar Siidiqui said that he had heard PAT chief Tahirul Qadri say that the protest will not be called off until Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif resign.
The advocate general informed the court that city administration had informed the protesters about security threats.
