PTI moves LHC to seek permission for Lahore rally – Pakistan

LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Monday approached the Lahore High Court, seeking permission to hold a public rally at the Minar-i-Pakistan on Feb 8.

PTI Punjab chief organiser Aliya Hamza Malik filed the writ petition in the court throu­­gh Advocate Ishtiaq A. Khan.

The petition said a formal request for the rally was submitted to the deputy commissioner of Lahore on Jan 29, but no response had been received yet.

It said whenever the PTI requested permission for a public gathering, security concerns were raised as a pretext to deny an approval. It also alleged that the petitioner (Aliya) was being harassed and threatened to withdraw the request.

Aliya Hamza asks party leaders to step aside if they cannot ‘withstand govt pressure’

The petition asked the court to direct the authorities to grant permission for the Feb 8 rally and restrain law enforcement agencies from harassing or abducting PTI workers.

The registrar office fixed the hearing of the petition for Tuesday (today) before the court of Justice Farooq Haider.

Later speaking to the media, Aliya Hamza asked the party leaders to step aside if they could not withstand the government pressure.

She said whenever there were attempts to crush the PTI, workers came out to protect and stood by it in thick and thin. “Only those workers will be promoted in the party who have the courage to bear the burden of Imran Khan’s words, tweets and protests,” she said.

She urged the nation to come out on Feb 8 and protest. “Those trying to stop PTI protests have employed every tactic and even went to the last resort of opening fire on unarmed peaceful protesters,” Ms Hamza said and urged the powers that be to let the country move towards stability.

She asserted that the PTI was a peaceful political party, standing for the protection of the country and the Constitution.

She said former premier Imran Khan had played his part and was sitting resolute in jail for the security and well-being of the people of Pakistan and now it was the nation’s turn to come out and get their due rights.

She also urged the journalists to protest outside press clubs as their votes were also stolen on Feb 8 last year and eventually faced imposition of the Peca law.

She said the lawyers’ community should also hold meetings in bar councils. In case of denial of permission for the Minar-e-Pakistan protest, Ms Hamza said the party would disclose its plan B.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2025