SC to resume hearing Faizabad sit-in case on November 16

The Supreme Court on Friday fixed the date for the hearing of a suo motu case on the sit-in staged by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at Faizabad Interchange in 2017.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa will hear the suo motu case on November 16.

The apex court has summoned the record of TLP’s registration as a political party from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Notices have also been sent to the attorney general, secretaries of interior and defence, Islamabad inspector general of police (IGP) and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in this regard.

Last year in November, the top court had taken suo motu notice of the sit-in staged by TLP leaders and activists at the Faizabad Interchange.

The three-week long sit-in, which had paralysed the federal capital, was called off on November 27 after protesters reached an agreement with the government.

Referring to TLP Chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, Justice Isa had asked whether someone could be allowed to violate the Constitution even if he had a just cause.

At this, Attorney General Anwar Mansoor had explained that the ECP registers the parties but conceded that although protesting lawfully is everyone’s right, holding a protest so as to paralyse routine life is indeed unconstitutional. He added the ECP had the authority to revoke the registration of any political party.

The court had then issued a notice to the ECP to furnish the application under which the TLP had been registered and asked the attorney general to assist the court in determining whether the commission or the federal government was empowered under the Elections Act 2017 to take measures for regulating the parties.

Earlier this month, the TLP held countrywide protests against the acquittal of Aasia Bibi — a Christian woman acquitted after eight years on death row for blasphemy — condemning the judges on the bench hearing Aasia’ case, the prime minister and the army chief.