The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled on Thursday that no protests or rallies violating recent regulations on public gatherings will be allowed this weekend due to the visit of the Belarusian president. This decision is a setback for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which had planned a protest on November 24 in the capital. PTI leader Imran Khan had called for the protest to demand the restoration of democracy and judicial independence.
The court’s decision followed a petition from a local resident who argued that the PTI’s protest should be deemed illegal. The petition urged the government to prevent the protest to maintain peace in Islamabad.
While the court acknowledged PTI’s right to peaceful assembly under the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act of 2024, it advised the federal government to form a committee—potentially led by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi—to discuss the protest with PTI leadership and address the sensitivities surrounding the foreign visit. The PTI leadership was encouraged to engage with this committee and consider the implications of holding the protest during this important event.
The court also directed the relevant authorities to submit a progress report by the next hearing, set for November 27.
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