Islamabad High Court Permits PTI March With Road Restrictions

The Islamabad High Court rejected a petition to bar the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from holding a long march toward Islamabad on September 27. The protest aims to secure the release of party founder Imran Khan. While the court permitted the march, it issued a written verdict prohibiting political parties, leaders, and provincial governments from blocking roads, highways, or entry and exit routes in the capital, ruling that such obstructions violate fundamental rights to movement, trade, and healthcare.

Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and a larger bench directed provincial chief ministers and governments to ensure that public funds, government employees, and official machinery are not used to facilitate political rallies. The court also prohibited the coercion of government employees to participate in protests. The Ministry of Interior and the Islamabad administration were ordered to protect citizens' constitutional rights.

During the proceedings, Islamabad Advocate General Naveed Malik argued that the protest's objectives—securing a prisoner's release and removing the government—were unconstitutional. The Islamabad Attorney General presented videos of previous PTI protests to argue that past events caused significant damage to public property. In response to these concerns, officials from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa submitted affidavits promising to stop any illegal activity.