Big blow to PTI as IHC rules no protest allowed over weekend amid Belarusian president’s visit

The PTI suffered a big blow on Thursday ahead of its power show planned for November 24 as the Islamabad High Court ruled that no protest or rally in violation of a recent law regulating public gatherings in the capital would be allowed over the weekend amid the Belarusian president’s visit.

PTI founder and ex-premier Imran Khan issued a “final call” for the Sunday protest last week, denouncing what he described as the stolen mandate, the unjust arrests of people, and the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which he said has strengthened a “dictatorial regime”.

Since Imran’s arrest in August 2023 on several counts, his party has been holding protests across the country for his release and against the alleged rigging of the Feb 8 elections.

Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Aamer Farooq presided over the hearing for a petition by an Islamabad local that requested that the protest call be declared illegal and the respondents — federal government, Islamabad chief commissioner, Islamabad district magistrate and the Islamabad police — be directed to restrain the PTI from holding the protest and to maintain peace in the federal capital.

The court order issued today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, said that the recently enacted Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024, outlined that if anyone wished to hold an assembly in Islamabad, they must submit an application in writing to the district magistrate not later than seven days of the intended event’s date.

The referred application is to be processed and an appropriate order is to be given regarding permission for the assembly, the order added.

However, it said that the court was informed that no such application was made till now.

“This court was also informed that the president of Belarus with his delegation of more than 60 persons is arriving on Nov 24 and their protection and freedom of movement is of utmost importance and directly involves relationship with another country, hence the larger public interest is involved.”

The order said that the court was also informed that though there was some communication with the PTI leadership, “no formal engagement as such has been made”.

It added that the PTI had the right to freedom of movement and assembly subject to the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024 and thus it would be “appropriate” that the federal government constitute a committee preferably headed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to engage with the PTI leadership and inform it about the “sensitivity over the weekend due to movement of the president of a foreign country”.

The court ordered that the committee should also include the Islamabad chief commissioner and any other person who Naqvi deemed appropriate.

“This court is sanguine that as and when such formal engagement is made, some development would take place. In case, no breakthrough is made, then to ensure law and order situation is the responsibility of respondents No.1 to 4 without minimum disruption to the life of ordinary citizens and no violation of the Act, 2024 is committed.

“As the law on the subject is clear as daylight, respondent No.1 to 4 shall do the needful for ensurance of maintenance and law and order in ICT, Islamabad. In this regard, no protest or rally or for that matter sit-in shall be allowed by respondents No.1 to 4 in violation of Act of 2024,” the order ruled.

It concluded that it was expected that the PTI leadership would take into account the factors put forward by Naqvi during the hearing and engage in meaningful communication with the committee.

The court directed the state respondents to submit a report before the next hearing on Nov 27.

Talking to the media outside the court, Naqvi said that there would be no negotiations with the PTI as long as it continued “hurling threats”.

“Negotiations do not happen through threats,” he said. “Personally, I am in favour of talks with any party. However, threatening us and then asking us to come to the table is unacceptable.”

When asked if there was a deadline for negotiations, the minister replied: “There need to be negotiations for there to be a deadline. Since there are no negotiations, there is no deadline.”

Talking about the PTI’s protest, Naqvi said, “The chief justice called the secretary, the chief commissioner, the inspector general of police and myself. We will enforce his order.”

The interior minister said that the timing of the upcoming rally coincided with a visit by a Belarusian delegation. “We had a similar situation during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit,” he said. “A delegation from Belarus is coming on Nov 24, while the Belarusian president will come on Nov 25.”

Naqvi added that the trip would last for three days.

“Protecting foreign dignitaries is our priority,” he said. “We also need to protect Islamabad and its people, therefore we will not allow a protest or procession without permission.”

Naqvi added that the interior ministry had made arrangements for the protest with the Frontier Constabulary, Rangers and the Islamabad and Punjab police forces.

“Nobody is stopping them (PTI) from protesting, but coming to Islamabad and protesting when a foreign delegation is visiting … during such an important time for the country … the public can reach the conclusion that this is a terrible idea,” he said.

Regarding any decision to suspend mobile services, he said the decision would be taken tomorrow night.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a statement issued by state broadcaster PTV on its X account that those who took the law into their own hands would be dealt with strictly.

He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had prohibited government employees from participating in political rallies and the IHC had clearly said that the safety of people’s lives and property should be ensured.

“Whenever a high-level delegation or head of state from abroad comes to Pakistan, PTI calls for protests. PTI has a history of never protesting peacefully. PTI is following an anti-national agenda.

“When the country’s economy is moving in the right direction, what is the purpose of protesting at a time like this?” Tarar questioned.

Bushra Bibi releases video carrying Imran’s message

Meanwhile, former first lady and Imran’s spouse Bushra Bibi released a video address today relaying a message from her husband.

“I have come before you today to give a message from Khan. Khan has appealed to the entire nation to become part of the protest on Nov 24,” she said, adding that it was not just a rally for Imran’s sake but for that of the country and real freedom.

“Imran has appealed to judges and lawyers that ‘I am in jail for the rule of law so it is your obligation to become part of this protest and lead every lawyer movement from every area of Pakistan in your lawyer uniform and reach Islamabad on Nov 24.’”

She said that there was a lot of speculation about changing the Nov 24 date or negotiations with Imran but ruled them all out.

“There is nothing like this. The date can only be changed on one condition that Imran comes out and himself tells the nation about the next plan of action. Apart from that, the date of Nov 24 cannot be changed at any cost. So if you receive any wrong message then you don’t have to believe it because Khan has sent a special message that Nov 24 date will never be cancelled until Khan himself doesn’t come and address the nation.”

She said it was everyone’s duty to participate in the power show since “everyone is witness to the injustice and suppression against the PTI”.

Bushra Bibi appealed to the police and institutions, asking why they committed violence against peaceful protesters when it was their legal right to do so.

She said no law allowed to stop people from peacefully protesting and requested “an end to the injustice”.

Addressing the institutions, Bushra Bibi also said that the perception of “Imran taking revenge” against anyone once out of prison was wrong, saying that the PTI founder maintained that he would never do so but would instead opt for forgiveness.

Meanwhile, Tarar said that statements about Imran putting off the Nov 24 protest if he was released were an admission of his “frustration and panic”.

He said it was proven that the Nov 24 “call for chaos” was aimed at securing a deal.

Tarar remarked that the person who once vowed never to engage in a deal was now incessantly clamouring for one and was set on waging war against the federation.

“The only deal you’ll get is with the law, which you have violated.”

Interior ministry orders bureaucracy to ensure state resources not used in rally

Separately, the interior ministry wrote to the KP chief secretary to ensure that state machinery, equipment or finances were not used for PTI’s power show.

A letter from the interior ministry to KP Chief Secretary Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, stated “Protest call on November 24” as its subject, specifying the PTI as the organiser later.

It asked Chaudhry to ensure that the KP government “does not utilise state machinery, equipment, officials or finances for political protest by the political party”.

The interior ministry’s directives come a day after the government approved the deployment of both Pakistan Rangers and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel in Islamabad from November 22 onwards to “handle” the law and order situation, ahead of the planned power show.

The notification said the exact number of personnel and the date and area of their deployment would be “worked out in consultation with concerned stakeholders”. Similarly, the date of de-requisitioning would be decided after mutually consulting all relevant stakeholders.

Separately, PTV posted a circular from the Peshawar police on its X account that said that any KP police officers posted for security duties along with political representatives would not participate in any procession.

“The policemen who are posted with the political representatives as gunners and are performing duties with them should be warned that they will not participate in any procession or political gathering outside Peshawar and neither will they go with the representatives. In case of violation, strict departmental action will be taken against the concerned officials,” the circular warned.

The federal and Punjab governments have decided to take strict measures to deal with the PTI’s call. The police have been placed on “high alert” throughout Punjab while Section 144 has been extended in the federal capital for two more months, in addition to heavy security arrangements.

The government’s concerns about the usage of state machinery emerged when last month, around two dozen KP cops were among 1,000 PTI supporters arrested by the Rawalpindi and Islamabad police during the PTI’s October 5 D-Chowk protest.

Following a simultaneous protest in Punjab, the Attock police had also arrested as many as 11 KP policemen who were participating in the PTI’s march.

Sources had told Dawn that more than 40 Rescue 1122 vehicles and 120 of its personnel accompanied the PTI procession coming from Peshawar to Islamabad for the rally. The Punjab police had arrested 41 of the rescue personnel and took into possession 17 of the vehicles.

Section 144 imposed in Rawalpindi till Nov 26

Separately, it emerged today that Section 144 has been imposed in Rawalpindi till Nov 26 due to “the fear of terrorism”, according to a notification issued by the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner’s (DC) office, dated Wednesday.

Section 144 is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period.

The notification, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, cites “specific intelligence suggesting that certain groups and elements are actively mobilising with intentions to disturb the and order situation through large gatherings, protests and disruptive assemblies”.

An emergency meeting of the District Intelligence Committee chaired by Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema was held on Wednesday, according to the notification, adding that the meeting held that there was “an imminent threat” within the limits of Rawalpindi district, particularly surrounding sensitive installations, including Adiala Jail, that could pose a threat to human life, public property and overall peace and order.

The notification banned all kinds of assemblies, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, processions, demonstrations, protests and other such activities, excluding religious gatherings.

The carrying of weapons, spikes, laden batons, ball bearings, petrol bombs, improvised explosives or any other instrument that could potentially be used for violence was also banned.

It also prohibited any attempt to remove any restriction imposed by a police office to regulate the assembly of persons or movement of traffic.

The notification said the order would remain in place for seven days from Nov 20- 26.

Law enforcement agencies have planned to “lay a virtual siege” to the garrison city by sealing it from 50 points to prevent PTI workers from entering the federal capital territory on November 24.

A senior police official confirmed that the Rawalpindi will be sealed from 50 points with freight shipping containers, razors and barbed wires as the district police, including Elite Force commandos, will be deployed and nobody will be allowed to stage any protest.

PTI’s central information secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram has asserted that despite alleged offers for talks with the ‘powers that be’, the party’s planned power show would proceed until their goals are achieved.

He said the PTI would continue its preparations for the protest even if negotiations about their demands were initiated. “Khan sahib has issued clear instructions to continue preparations for the protest until our goals are achieved,” he added.

On the other hand, police have launched a crackdown on PTI local leaders and workers which began on Tuesday night and have so far rounded up more than 30 workers and activists.

Police have been considering avoiding using water cannons and rubber bullets against the PTI protesters, if they try to engage the police in any part of the city. The main showdown is expected to take place in Attock district — the border area of KP and Punjab.

Rangers requested in three districts of Punjab

Separately, the Punjab Home Department requested the deployment of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) personnel in Rawalpindi, Attock and Jhelum districts, according to a notification issued today.

The department requested one to two wings of Rangers in Rawalpindi and Attock from Friday till the date of de-requisition and one company deployed to Jhelum from Friday to Wednesday.

The Punjab Home Department’s spokesperson said the decision was taken on the recommendation of the district administration.