ISLAMABAD (National Times) – The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Thursday said that the long march is a political problem that can be solved politically.
During the hearing on Senator Kamran Murtaza’s plea to stop Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) long march, the court inquired whether the place for the long march has been determined. The court demanded to be informed on the matter after getting details from the administration.
In this regard, SC ordered the Additional Attorney General to ask the administration and inform the court within half an hour.
Petitioner Kamran Murtaza told the court that PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s long march has started since two weeks and according to PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, they will reach Islamabad by Friday or Saturday.
He argued that the long march will badly affect the routine life in the capital. Long March is the right of PTI but the rights of common man should not be affected.
Justice Ayesha Malik inquired whether the government has made any mechanism to regulate the protest.
Justice Athar Minallah added that this is a matter for the executive, refer to them. Judiciary can intervene only in exceptional circumstances, why should the court interfere when the administration has wide powers to control such a situation?
Kamran Murtaza retorted that the matter has gone too far now. One person was killed in firing on PTI’s long march.
On which, Justice Ayesha Malik while seeking further clarity posed questions that PTI’s long march has been going on for many days, have they approached the administration? Why are they being hasty on the matter and what is the negligence of the administration?
Carrying on with the series of questions pertaining to the petition, the Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial stated that they have mentioned past violations in the petition. The Long March is a political problem that can be solved politically. Interference in these types of issues creates an awkward situation for the court.
Speaking to Kamran Murtaza, the CJ Umar Ata Bandial inquired that you have mentioned an audio in the petition, in this audio there is mention of bringing weapons. The audio is true or fake but it can spoil the law and order situation, he said.
The Chief Justice further inquired whether the people of May 25 long march had weapons, adding that the petitioner stated that the Long March is still within the boundaries of Punjab. Has he contacted the Punjab government?
If the connection between the province and the federation is disconnected, can the court intervene? You are a senator, strengthen the parliament, remarked CJ.
Furthermore, the Chief Justice inquired what the administration has done regarding the long march. The Advocate General told the court that the administration had received PTI’s letter for the long march in Islamabad, adding that the administration had asked the PTI about the date, time and place, which had not been answered.
Advocate General added that before the Wazirabad incident, PTI talked about bloodshed and the administration refused to allow PTI to enter Islamabad after the Wazirabad incident.
He also mentioned that the case on the permission to hold public gathering in Islamabad is pending in the Islamabad High Court.
Later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed Senator Kamran Murtaza’s petition against the Long March as ineffective.
