LHC directs DC to decide on PTI's Feb 8 Minar-e-Pakistan rally today

• Chief secretary, DC appear before LHC in case.
• Justice Haider questions delay in rally decision.
• Aliya demands immediate response from authorities.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday instructed the deputy commissioner (DC) of Lahore to decide by 5pm on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) request to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan on February 8, marking the first anniversary of the 2023 general elections as "Black Day".

Justice Farooq Haider issued the directive while hearing a petition filed by PTI Punjab Chief Organiser Aliya Hamza on February 3, seeking permission for the public gathering.

During the hearing, the court summoned Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman to clarify the procedure for granting such approvals. The chief secretary and DC Musa Raza appeared before the court, where the judge questioned whether any time limit was set for deciding such applications.

The DC responded that there were no restrictions on the timeframe.

The court observed that delaying the decision would restrict PTI from approaching another legal forum if their request were rejected at the last moment.

Justice Haider directed the DC to issue a decision by 5pm, emphasising that an early resolution would allow the party to make necessary arrangements.

The court disposed of the petition following its ruling.

Following the court’s directive, PTI provincial leader Aliya spoke to the media outside LHC, criticising the authorities for delaying the decision. She said that despite 10 days passing since the application was submitted, the district administration was still undecided about granting permission.

She reiterated that holding public gatherings was PTI’s legal and constitutional right and demanded an immediate response.

The former ruling party, since its negotiations with the government fell apart has announced rallies to protest 2024 polls which it, along with other opposition parties, has time again decried for being marred with rigging resulting in alleged theft of its mandate.

The Imran Khan-founded party's prospective return to street politics comes against the backdrop of apparent failed talks with the government following its refusal to attend the fourth round of talks on January 28 citing the government's failure to form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and November 2024 protests as per its charter of demands.

The dialogue process between the PML-N-led government and the PTI  commenced in late December after months of heightened political tensions.

With the party also announcing a rally in Swabi on the said date, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar has warned of agitation against the ruling coalition saying that the party's desire to hold dialogue with the government was misconstrued as its weakness.

The PTI, in recent months, has taken to the streets on various occasions. The party's protests and power show in Islamabad last year resulted in a crackdown against party workers with leaders also facing multiple cases.