Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh on Tuesday observed that all citizens have the right to express their feelings or message but within the very limits of the Constitution and law and directed the deputy commissioner and DIG Operations Lahore to decide an application seeking permission to hold "Aurat March" as per the law and guidelines/code of conduct for the marchers.
He further observed that no hate speech, slogans and placards should be allowed that could hurt sentiments of any segment of the society. The CJ disposed of the applications from both sides on the subject of the march and directed the district administration to decide the application for the no-objection certificate of the activity as per the law and guidelines furnished by the organizers.
The chief justice also directed the FIA to hold an inquiry into leak of former chief justice Saqib Nisar's son's wedding pictures with malicious intent and find out the culprits.
The chief justice was hearing two applications against and in support of the Aurat March scheduled to be held on March 8. A report submitted by the DIG Operations cited a threat alert received though reliable sources that Ex-TTP carried out "recce" of few areas in Lahore as targets for terrorist activities as per their convenience. The areas included Lahore Press Club, Mall Road and Qurban Lines.
It said the activity was likely to be carried out during any public gathering such as sit-in as the venue of Aurat March was in close vicinity of Mall Road.
The report said foolproof security arrangements will be made for the march. However, it said, it was essential that organizers adhered to a proper code of conduct should prohibit the participants from engaging in any controversial acts.
Saqib Jillani, on behalf of the march's organizers, presented to the court five-point guidelines set for the posters and placards at the upcoming march.
The guidelines require the participants to refrain from using any language or images on their posters and placards discriminatory towards any religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender or sexual identity. The organizers will not condone any messages that will instigate or promote violence or hate speech.
"We encourage posters and placards that follow this year's theme of khud mukhtar/self determination and self sufficiency," say the guidelines. The lawyer said the organizers could not take responsibility of individual acts of the participants who would be thousands in number.
The chief justice observed that the court was cognizant of this fact but even then the organizers were supposed to act with responsibility. The counsel of the applicants Azhar Siddique advocating against the march contended that the matter before the court stood infructuous since the district administration had started its procedure on the application from all parties. He asked the court that the administration be directed to regulate the march in accordance with the existing laws and Islamic injunctions. The lawyer reiterated that he never wanted to have the Aurat March banned but to be regulated under the law.
Comments
Comments are closed.