The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday criticized the government for its disparate treatment with political parties, specifically pointing out differences in its approach towards Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
During a hearing on PTI’s request for permission to hold a rally in Lahore, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi questioned the government’s policy on political activities, highlighting the differing attitudes towards PTI and JI, which was currently holding a protest.
The Punjab government’s lawyer explained that applications for rallies from PTI and two other parties were rejected, while JI is conducting activities without permission. The lawyer admitted to lacking information on any actions taken against JI and noted that political party behavior must be considered when granting rally permissions. Justice Najafi suggested that if there are security concerns, political parties could provide affidavits. If permissions are still denied after such assurances, the law would address the situation. He also questioned the feasibility of not finding suitable venues for rallies, suggesting that even small areas should be available for such activities. The court has instructed the government lawyer to seek further instructions and postponed the hearing until the following day.
