Islamabad protestors have political motives: Supreme Court detailed verdict

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan released the detailed order of Thursday's hearing on the Faizabad protest in Islamabad. The verdict states, citing a report by the country's premier intelligence agency, that the protestors have political motives. 

The detailed order states that "the TLYRA [Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah] is determined to exploit the situation and gain political mileage to gain support for the next general elections." 

The report by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) concludes, according to the order that "normal life of the ordinary citizens of Rawalpindi and Islamabad especially those visiting twin cities on daily basis for routine purposes stand paralyzed." 

Citing previous orders by the bench on the matter, where the apex court referred to provisions of the Constitution and the law that were being violated by the protestors, as well as verses from the Holy Quran and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the verdict highlights that those references had no impact on the protestors. 

The apex court's order commends the government's position of avoiding loss of life by using force to disperse the protestors but raises the query whether only "that protestors can only be removed by firing upon them." 

The order states that "Baton wielding or even unarmed law enforcement personnel, if they are sufficient in numbers, can undertake such an exercise as is often undertaken in many civilized countries of the world and without any loss of life."

The order concludes that "force and violence (jabr) has no place in Islam. It further states that "the protestors are directed to abide by the stipulations of the Holy Quran and to emulate the exemplary conduct of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him), and to also abide by the Constitution of Pakistan and the law."

The bench directed the government to submit its implementation report at the next hearing and adjourned to reconvene on November 30.