ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday directed the federal capital administration to not harass the PTI workers while hearing the former ruling party’s petition pertaining to the arrest of the leaders in major cities of the country ahead of their long march towards the capital city on Wednesday (tomorrow).

Issuing notices to the capital police inspector general, chief commissioner, and deputy commissioner, the august court directed that make sure no one is unnecessarily harassed. The court adjourned the hearing of the case till May 27 (Friday).

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah was hearing a petition against the arrest of PTI leaders. The plea was moved by PTI leader Amir Kiyani. Lawyer Ali Zafar, who has been PTI’s counsel in many cases including the one pertaining to the vote of no-confidence, was presenting the former ruling party.

“PTI workers are being arrested across the country. Peaceful protest is the right of every Pakistani,” PTI lawyer Ali Zafar said.

The PTI moved the court after the government late on Monday night “launched a crackdown” on PTI leaders, a day before the former ruling party’s long march towards Islamabad, despite the centre claiming to be tolerant towards the protest as long as it is peaceful.

The interior ministry has directed the police to deal strictly with PTI demonstrators while also asking for party leaders to be arrested. The police were following a list for these raids, according to the former ruling party leadership.

Minallah referred the lawyer to the Supreme Court’s decision on the sit-in case. The august court apparently referred to the suo motu case of the 2017 Faizabad sit-in staged by the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan. The SC had directed the government, law enforcers, intelligence agencies and the army’s media wing to operate within their mandate.

The apex court had taken up the case after taking notice of the traffic congestion resulting from the sit-in and summoned a report from the ministries of interior and defence, Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence.

Protest is a right as per the clear principles of the Supreme Court, the high court chief justice said, adding that the court cannot offer a verdict based on apprehensions.

The court remarked that PTI should send a request to the district administration for the demonstration.

The chief justice inquired that “how the administration would deal with miscreants that may choose to disguise themselves as protesters?” It further asked the lawyer that could the PTI give an affidavit that the law will not be broken during the protest.

The court then took a break and gave time to Zafar for reviewing the court decisions.

Resuming the hearing of the case after the break, CJ Minallah said that the court had given the 2014 order, after which PTV headquarters, and parliament were attacked and the SSP was also tortured.

“This court does not say that your political party did this. But, But can this incident be denied?” he asked, “Who will be responsible when the court passes an order and then such kind of incident happens.”

The chief justice remarked that the writ of the state was challenged with the treatment with SSP and advised the lawyer to read the section concerned with the “2019 sit-in case”.

In his argument, PTI lawyer Ali Zafar said the party wanted the arrest of their leaders in connection with the long march to be stopped within the jurisdiction of this court

“We have sent a request for the May 25 rally to the district administration,” the lawyer said when the IHC CJ asked did they send the request.