ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the government to form a committee to hold talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership to sort out the issue related to the PTI’s planned protest rally the capital on November 24.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued the written order, stating that it would be appropriate for the government to form the committee under the supervision of the interior minister or another senior official to initiate talks with PTI leadership, keeping in view the upcoming visit of the Belarusian president.
The court ruled that “if negotiations fail, the interior minister must ensure to maintain the law and order in Islamabad in accordance with the law.”
The IHC Chief Commissioner of Islamabad should also be included in the committee to hold talks with the PTI. The court hoped that such engagement would yield results.
The ruling comes amid heightened political tensions as PTI has announced to hold the protest rally in Islamabad.
Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that no negotiations were possible with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) under the shadow of threats.
At the same time, he declared that no PTI protest will be allowed in Islamabad during the upcoming high-profile diplomatic engagement.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Naqvi said, “We cannot permit any form of protest in Islamabad during these crucial days. The SCO conference was just concluded, and now a 65-member Belarusian delegation is arriving on November 24, followed by the Belarusian president on November 25. While protest is a democratic right, holding it in Islamabad during such events is inappropriate.”
Naqvi criticised the timing of the PTI protest, hinting ulterior motives. “The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and the PTI chairman met with Imran Khan yesterday. The public should question why protests are always planned at such critical times and who stands to benefit from these situations,” he asked.