Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Islamabad President Amir Mughal said on Friday that the party has postponed today’s sit-in in Islamabad, Aaj News reported.
PTI had challenged the Islamabad administration’s decision to deny permission to the largest opposition party to hold a protest in the federal capital.
While the IHC’s verdict is still awaited, the PTI regional leader claimed today that the court had granted permission to hold the protest on Monday.
“We will follow the court’s orders”, he added.
It should be noted that Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and PTI have announced to hold separate peaceful protests in Islamabad against inflated electricity bills, and the “illegal arrest” of PTI founder Imran Khan and supporters, respectively.
To deal with the situation, the administration blocked entrances to the capital with containers and imposed Section 144 in the city.
Condemning the move, JI chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said the government would be held responsible if his party workers were prevented from entering Islamabad for their planned protest against electricity price hike, and inflation.
In a statement on Thursday, Naeem said the JI was a peaceful party and it was their right to stage a peaceful protest anywhere in the country.
“We are not afraid of arrests, and Jamaat-e-Islami cannot be stopped,” he said. “The historic sit-in on Friday, July 26, will represent 250 million people of Pakistan, and we will sit peacefully at D-Chowk.”
Earlier on Monday, PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan called on everyone to “fully participate” in the peaceful protest across the country.
He stated the party’s three demands would be the immediate release of incarcerated PTI leaders and supporters, maintaining peace in the country, and protesting against growing inflation.