-Registrar argues PTI has not approached relevant forum
-Adds top Court already issued order on the matter
-Court observes party has raised “controversial issues”
By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Thursday returned the PTI’s plea seeking protection from the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) as the Imran Khan-led party planned on holding a second long march — after the first one ended abruptly last week.
The Supreme Court’s registrar raised objections to the petition, noting that the top court had already issued an order on the matter, and the PTI had not moved the relevant forum.
“The petitioner (PTI) has not approached any other appropriate forum available under the law for the same relief and has also not provided any justification for not doing so,” the SC’s registrar said while raising the objection.
Among other issues, the top court’s registrar said the plea mentions were “controversial issues” in paragraphs 4, 5, 12, and 14.
PTI Chairman Khan had abruptly announced the end of his “Azadi March” on March 26 and had given the government a six-day ultimatum to announce a date for a general election. He had later said he called the march off due to fear of “bloodshed”.
Just after PTI Secretary-General Asad Umar filed the plea in the apex court Wednesday morning, Khan had announced that his next plan of action would rely on the court’s ruling.
In an address to a rally in Shangla, Khan reiterated that he would not rest till fresh elections are announced and would reveal his plan of marching to Islamabad after SC’s orders.
The PTI’s long march to Islamabad last week caused riots across the country in which three people, including a police constable and two PTI workers, lost their lives.
A day earlier, in a written order, the Supreme Court (SC) directed the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and other relevant authorities to submit a report before the court explaining whether the judiciary’s orders were violated during May 25 Islamabad riots.
The Supreme Court’s directives were issued in the order on the plea filed by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) against the government’s decision to block roads to stop PTI’s “Azadi March”.
In the written order, the court also said it was “disappointed” to note that riots took place in the federal capital despite its order to create a balance between both sides — the PTI and the government.
