Islamabad High Court Restricts Protests During SCO Summit
The Islamabad High Court has ruled that no unauthorized protests or gatherings will be allowed in the city during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on October 15 and 16. This decision was made by a bench led by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, following a plea from traders. The court also stated that there should be no lockdown during the summit.
The ruling comes amidst ongoing protests by the Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI) party against the government in Islamabad and Lahore. The court directed the Islamabad administration to designate a specific area for protests, ensuring that demonstrators gather only in the allocated space. The court emphasized that while the Pakistani Constitution guarantees the right to assembly and movement, these rights are subject to reasonable restrictions.
Authorities have been instructed to maintain peace in the city, with reports of political activists marching towards the red zone, potentially disrupting the movement of other citizens. The army has been deployed under Article 245 for security, and Section 144 has been imposed.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reported that 564 people, including 11 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officers and 120 Afghan nationals, were arrested during a crackdown on PTI protesters in Islamabad. PTI, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has been protesting for the independence of the judiciary, with a call for nationwide protests starting October 1.
Doubts Revealed
Islamabad High Court -: The Islamabad High Court is a court in Pakistan that makes important legal decisions. It is located in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan.
SCO Summit -: The SCO Summit is a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is a group of countries that work together on political, economic, and security issues. Countries like China, Russia, and India are part of this group.
PTI -: PTI stands for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is a political party in Pakistan. It is led by Imran Khan, who was the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq -: Chief Justice Aamer Farooq is a senior judge who leads the Islamabad High Court. He makes important decisions about legal matters in the court.
Federal Interior Minister -: The Federal Interior Minister is a government official in Pakistan responsible for internal security, including law and order. Mohsin Naqvi is the person holding this position as mentioned in the summary.
Afghan nationals -: Afghan nationals are people who come from Afghanistan, a country that shares a border with Pakistan. In this context, some Afghan nationals were arrested during the protests.
