Chief Justice IHC Athar Minallah conducted hearing on two identical petitions filed by Hafiz Ahtisham and Hanif Rahi Advocate against the protest march of Jamiat Ulema Islam Fazlur Rehman (JUIF).
During the course of proceeding, the bench remarked that it was a matter related to administration, adding that peaceful protest was right of citizens.
Justice Minallah asked petitioner Riaz Hanif whether he had filed the petition on behalf to federation to which the counsel said that he was a lawyer by profession, the protest could affect the bar elections.
The petitioners had stated in their plea that Supreme Court and IHC had already ordered the district administration to fix a place for sit-in in the city so that routine life of a common citizen wouldn’t suffer.
The petitioner also challenged the support of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) to the march and stated that the party’s leadership was facing corruption cases in courts.
Nawaz Sharif wanted to pressurize the state institutions through the protest, he added.
The petitioner had nominated Ministry of Interior, PEMRA, ICT administration, PMLN and JUIF head Maulana Fazalur Rehman as respondents.