ISLAMABAD
\nThe Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the PTI to hold its Azadi March protest in the H-9 area of Islamabad and instructed the government to not raid the homes of or arrest PTI leaders and workers, while also ordering the immediate release of lawyers currently detained.
\nA three-member bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, and comprising Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, issued the orders after hearing the Petiton filed by Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) President Mohammad Shoaib Shaheen a day earlier, seeking the removal of blockades in the capital ahead of the PTI\u2019s march.
\n\u201cWhile playing the role of the arbitrator, we pass the order that no raids should be conducted on the homes of PTI workers,\u201d the Supreme Court said.
\nAttorney General Ashtar Ausaf opposed the court\u2019s decision to allow the PTI to hold its protest in the designated area. \u201cRequest to hold the protest in G-9 area has already been rejected.\u201d
\nSC tells attorney general to seek instructions from PM Shehbaz over PTI\u2019s demands
\nEarlier, the Supreme Court asked Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf to seek directions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the PTI\u2019s demands regarding its Azadi March.
\nPTI lawyer Babar Awan appeared on the rostrum when the hearing resumed after a short break around 3pm. He told the court that the party had asked for permission to stage the march on May 23.
\nAwan called on the court to issue directives to the government. He demanded that the blockades placed on roads be lifted and the arrested PTI workers be released immediately. He assured the court that the party would adhere to its directives.
\nJustice Ahsan remarked that there was a lack of communication and trust between the government and the PTI.
\nAwan told the court that Imran had formed a four-member committee for talks with the administration, comprising him, Faisal Chaudhry, Amir Kiyani and Ali Awan. He asked the court to allow the PTI to stage a protest at Srinagar Highway.
\n\u201cWe want to protest where the JUI-F staged a sit-in twice in the past,\u201d he said, assuring the court that it would be peaceful and not affect routine life. He also urged the court to intervene against the tear gas shelling by the authorities on the protesters.
\nThe apex court directed the attorney general to seek directions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the PTI\u2019s demands. The AG should inform the court after an hour after seeking instructions from the PM, the court said.
\nJustice Ahsan said that the PTI\u2019s demands were clear and expressed hope that parties would reach a decision within an hour.
\nThe attorney general said the PM would soon nominate a team for talks with the PTI. \u201cThe prime minister wants political matters to be settled outside of court,\u201d he said.
\nOnce the hearing resumed, Justice Ahsan asked Awan how long the PTI planned to protest. The PTI counsel excused himself from answering the query, saying: \u201cThis is a political decision. Let it be decided on a political forum.\u201d
\nAwan reiterated that his party\u2019s demand was to have immediate elections as he refused to engage with the attorney general on that topic.
\nJustice Ahsan remarked that pre-empting protests by way of raids and arrests was an \u201cillegal act\u201d but also said that \u201cthe PTI won\u2019t be allowed to close the Motorway or Faizabad [interchange].\u201d
\nHe said the court would issue a formal order regarding shelling and baton charge.
\nMeanwhile, Justice Naqvi said that \u201cthe FIRs filed under the MPO won\u2019t fly.\u201d At this, Justice Ahsan said that an order will also be issued about the MPO.
\nThe Supreme Court bench expressed its displeasure at action taken by the Punjab police. \u201cIs the police mandated to smash cars and set fire?\u201d The additional advocate general Punjab appeared to justify police action by telling the court that \u201cweapons were found from a home in Lahore.\u201d \u201cWeapons are kept in every house these days,\u201d justice Naqvi said. \u201cWhat is this weapons story being told [to the court] since this morning. Just stop with this weapons story now. Justice Ahsan said that Lahore has been turned into a \u201cbattlefield.
\n\u201cWhat\u2019s happening there is unfortunate,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the PTI to hold its Azadi March protest in the H-9 area of Islamabad and instructed the government to not raid the homes of or arrest PTI leaders and workers, while also ordering the immediate release of lawyers currently detained. A three-member bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":226293,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[579,160,158,292],"class_list":{"0":"post-262737","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national","8":"tag-islamabad","9":"tag-protest","10":"tag-pti","11":"tag-supreme-court"},"yoast_head":"\n