During the hearing of a contempt of court petition against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) concerning the November 24 protest, Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Amir Farooq, expressed sharp criticism of both the government and administrative authorities.
Justice Farooq pointed out the mismanagement surrounding the protests, stating, “The court had directed the protection of fundamental rights for citizens, traders, and protesters, but instead, the entire city was shut down.” He further censured officials for distorting court directives, noting that while business owners sought judicial intervention to keep their operations running, authorities misrepresented the orders by attributing city-wide restrictions to the High Court.
Addressing PTI’s role, the Chief Justice called for an explanation regarding their alleged violation of court instructions. However, he also criticized the government’s heavy-handed approach, asserting, “If PTI acted wrongly, the government’s actions were equally unjustifiable.” He stressed the importance of balancing law enforcement with safeguarding public rights.
The court directed the Interior Ministry to present a comprehensive report on the situation and adjourned the hearing to next week. The case underscores the growing tensions over managing protests and the ongoing struggle to uphold political expression alongside citizens’ fundamental rights.
