ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court (SC) announced on Wednesday its verdict incase regarding the 2017 sit-in and protest at Islamabad FaizabadInterchange.
Judge Mushir Alam and Judge Qazi Faez Isa resumed the hearing today andannounced that they will upload the complete verdict on the Supreme Court’swebsite. In its verdict, the SC has said that every citizen and politicalparty has the right to protest provided that they do not obstruct people’sright to use roads and destroy property. Those who do not demonstrate anddestroy property must be dealt in accordance with the law.
The written verdict also states that the person issuing an edict or fatwa,which harms another or puts another in harm’s way, ‘must be criminallyprosecuted under the Pakistan Penal Code, the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997 orthe Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016’.
The SC has also directed the police and other law enforcement agencies todevelop standard plans and procedure to handle rallies, protests anddharnas. The tops court has directed the concerned authorities to tackleprotest with every effort to avoid causing injury and loss of life.
People suffer for 8th day due to protest at Faizabad Interchangelink
The top court further stated in the verdict that Inter-ServicesIntelligence, the Intelligence Bureau, Military Intelligence and theInter-Services Public Relations must not exceed their respective mandates.“All intelligence agencies do not have the authority to interfere withbroadcasts and publications, in the management of broadcasters/publishersand in the distribution of newspapers.”
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The top court has directed the Federal and provincial governments tomonitor those advocating hate, extremism, terrorism and prosecute theperpetrators in accordance with the law.
In November 2017, political parties including Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya RasoolAllah (TLY) protested and held a sit-in for nearly three weeks atIslamabad’s Faizabad Interchange. They were protesting against a reversedchange in the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat oath in the Elections Act 2017. Theprotesters demanded the resignation of then Federal Law Minister ZahidHamid.
The leaders of the dharna hurled threats, abused, provoked and promotedhatred in their demonstration. Islamabad police, in order to disperse thehuge number of protesters, with the help of Frontier Corps personnel andRangers, launched an operation and used tear gas shells and rubber bullets.
In retaliation, the protesters resorted to throwing stones at the securityforces. Several people were injured while at least six people were killedduring the clash. The religious parties ended the protest after one oftheir terms was met by the then government of Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz and Hamid tendered his resignation.
