ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Athar Minallah on Wednesday declared that the petition against the upcoming Azadi march of the JUI-F was premature.

The court observed that neither the petitioner had annexed JUI-F’s request seeking permission for the protest nor the district administration’s response was attached with the petition.

Hafiz Ihtisham Ahmed, a former media coordinator of Lal Masjid-led Shuhda Foundation, filed the petition and appeared in person before the court to argue the matter.

Since he was apparently not well conversant with the legal as well as administrative details, Justice Minallah advised him to engage a lawyer and gave him a week for presenting the arguments.

The petitioner cited the secretary interior, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the chief commissioner Islamabad and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman as respondents.

He requested the court to stop the JUI-F from staging the protest in Islamabad as it could affect the routine life of the local residents.

The JUI-F on Wednesday filed an application with the district administration seeking permission for the Azadi march on Oct 27 and a protest demonstration in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2019