ISLAMABAD, Sep 14 (APP):Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Monday welcomed the Islamabad High Court’s decision, describing it as a significant development for maintaining law and order and protecting the constitutional rights of residents in the federal capital. Talking to the media, the minister said the court had clearly established that no political party or group could obstruct the movement of citizens or create hurdles in …
Dr. Tariq welcomes IHC directives on political activities in capital
ISLAMABAD, Sep 14 (APP):Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Monday welcomed the Islamabad High Court’s decision, describing it as a significant development for maintaining law and order and protecting the constitutional rights of residents in the federal capital.
Talking to the media, the minister said the court had clearly established that no political party or group could obstruct the movement of citizens or create hurdles in their daily lives in Islamabad.
He said public places, including roads, parks, markets and major thoroughfares, could not be occupied or blocked by any group. “No one can be allowed to occupy public places in the federal capital,” he said.
Dr Tariq said the court had also issued clear directions regarding the proposed long march and the use of government resources for political activities. He maintained that chief ministers, particularly the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, could not use public funds, government employees, vehicles or official machinery for political purposes.
Recalling previous long marches, he alleged that government employees and official resources had been used to facilitate political gatherings in Islamabad. He said the court’s directions had now made it clear that government vehicles, machinery, staff and other official resources could not be deployed for political activities.
The minister said the Islamabad administration had been directed to implement the court’s orders in letter and spirit. He added that clear instructions had also been issued to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, Inspector General of Police and the Ministry of Interior in this regard.
Dr Tariq said implementation of the court’s directions would help protect the rights of Islamabad residents and maintain law and order in the capital.
He held the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) responsible for any loss or damage resulting from its proposed long march towards Islamabad, saying the government had repeatedly offered negotiations to resolve political differences.
The minister said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had repeatedly invited the opposition for talks, while the Leader of the Opposition had also approached the government more than twice with offers to sit together and move political matters forward through dialogue.
He alleged that the PTI had instead repeatedly opted for confrontation rather than peaceful political engagement. “Violence, arson, unrest and an attempt to march on Islamabad with force cannot be allowed,” he said.
Dr Tariq said the PTI had attempted to march on the federal capital every 12 to 14 months while, according to him, relying on government resources. Referring to the party’s claim that two million people could participate in the proposed march, he said even one-fourth of that number would amount to around 500,000 people.
He questioned whether Islamabad, with a population of around 700,000, could accommodate such a large gathering without severely disrupting the daily lives of residents. He said the government was responding to the figures being publicly claimed by the PTI, while remaining aware of the actual number of participants expected.
The minister reiterated that the Islamabad High Court had issued clear directions and that the Islamabad administration and law enforcement agencies were responsible for ensuring their implementation.
