ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up four petitions on Wednesday, seeking the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan and restraining him from the proposed lockdown of the federal capital.

The same day, Imran Khan is scheduled to address the IHC Bar Association.

The petitions filed to restrain the PTI from holding the protest on November 2 also sought directions to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to not telecast Imran Khan’s speeches, interviews as an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad had already ordered his arrest.

Petitions seek arrest of PTI chief and restraining him from proposed lockdown of capital

The PTI chairman, who is wanted by the anti-terrorism court in at least two cases, is likely to deliver a lecture to lawyers on the independence of judiciary. The lawyers believe that the visit of Imran Khan to the IHC bar was a part of his pre-lockdown Islamabad campaign.

In order to stop the proposed locking down of Islamabad, the petitioners wanted the IHC to intervene and direct the respondent authorities to take measures.

The petitioners cited the federal government through the ministry of interior, the Pemra chairman, the inspector general of Islamabad police and the PTI chief as respondents.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui will hear the petitions on Wednesday.

The petitioners claimed that hurling threats to lock down the city attracted the provision of anti-terrorism act (ATA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The petitioners adopted before the court that they learnt through the media that the PTI chairman had hurled open and desperate threats to lock down the whole city.

Complete lockdown of the city would badly affect the routine activities of the petitioners as they practice in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad cities, they added.

The petitioners contended that the PTI chairman was nominated in cases of attacking parliament, Pakistan Television and a senior superintendent of police during the 2014 sit-in, adding Imran Khan did not believe in rule of law and had a known history of taking the law into his own hands. Further, he never surrendered himself before a court of law or any agency and is still at large.

The petition maintained that as per the National Action Plan, anybody who had allegedly been involved in terrorist activities, his name, speeches and slogans cannot be published and telecasted in any media in any form.

It said cases against Imran Khan had been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 but he was deliberately avoiding the proceedings.

Petitioners requested the court that the proposed lockdown of Islamabad may be declared illegal, unconstitutional within the purview of ATA and other PPC provisions. The federal government may be directed to ensure free and smooth movement of the citizens.

It also requested the court to issue directions for the arrest of Imran Khan.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2016