PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday directed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government not to place hurdles in the way of Azadi March; however, it also asked the March participants to remain peaceful.
The Joint Opposition’s Azadi March led by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, which kicked off its journey from Karachi on October 27 and is heading towards Islamabad, has reached Multan.
Having apprehensions of facing impediments in March’s way in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the JUI-F though its lawyer approached the PHC last week and pleaded it to direct the provincial government against resorting to such actions.
In response to the petition, a two-member of the Court consisting of Chief Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Ahmad Ali today asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government not to block the routes of the JUI-F’s long march.
The PHC also directed media to provide equal coverage to the government and opposition.
NOC issued to JUI-F for its Azadi March in Islamabad
Meanwhile, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has issued a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to the JUI-F for holding its public gathering in the Federal Capital on October 31.
The Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said while talking to a Private News Channel that the government will welcome JUI-F’s peaceful protest as PTI always stands with democratic rights of the people.
The minister said that it was the democratic right of the opposition to hold protest and that the PTI government could not usurp their rights if they are holding their protest in a peaceful way.
However, he added that the government has devised a strategy and strict action will be taken against protesters in case of violation of laws.
