IHC furious over delay in action against protesters
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday issued a contempt notice to Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal for his failure to disperse the protesters who have been staging a sit-in at the Faizabad Interchange for 19 days, affecting normal life in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The hearing was adjourned till Nov.28 after Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui ordered the authorities to shift the protesters to the Parade Ground of the federal capital within three days.
He said he would not allow shooting at the protesters but half of them could be dispersed with the use of a couple of tear gas shells.
The Islamabad chief commissioner told the court that the government has stopped capital authorities from taking action against the protesters. He said the interior minister has also informed the court that he stopped the administration in order to hold talks with the protesters.
Justice Siddiqui said it was beyond comprehension how a minister would go against court orders. He asked under what authority the interior minister stopped the local administration from complying with the court orders.
The interior secretary told the court that the use of unnecessary force can lead to bloodshed.
The protesters belonging to religious parties — Tehrik-e-khatm-enabuwwat, Tehrik-e-labaik Pakistan (TLP) and the Sunni Tehrik Pakistan (ST) — are calling for the sacking of Law Minister Zahid Hamid and strict action against those behind the amendment to the Khatm-i-nabuwwat oath in the Elections Act 2017.
Meanwhile, in its written order on the hearing held a day earlier, the Supreme Court asked the protesters to follow the teachings of the Holy Quran. It said Islam is the religion of peace while the protesters were acting against the teachings of the Holy Quran.
The court said the protesters tortured policemen while a report submitted by the Islamabad police chief stated that a child lost his life because he could not get medical treatment due to road blockades.
According to the court order, the attorney general stated that the protesters did not seek permission for the sit-in and used abusive language against judges.