Islamabad 'lockdown' proposal: Petitions against Imran Khan in Islamabad HC today

Four petitions will be taken by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) today, seeking the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and restraining him from the proposed lockdown of Islamabad.

The petitions have been filed to restrain the PTI chief from holding the protest on November 2 and also sought directions to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to not telecast Imran Khan's speeches, interviews as an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad had already ordered his arrest, reports the Dawn.

Khan is wanted by the anti-terrorism court in at least two cases.

The PTI chief is scheduled to address the IHC Bar Association today. He is likely to deliver a lecture on the independence of judiciary to lawyers.

Visit of Imran Khan to the IHC bar is considered by the lawyers as a part of his pre-lockdown Islamabad campaign.

The petitioners wanted the IHC to intervene and direct the respondent authorities to take measures in order to stop the proposed locking down of Islamabad.

The federal government through the ministry of interior, the PEMRA chairman, the inspector general of Islamabad police and the PTI chief were cited as respondents by the petitioners.

According to the petitioners, hurling threats to lock down the city attracted the provision of anti-terrorism act (ATA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The petitioners adopted before the court that they learnt through the media that the PTI chairman had hurled open and desperate threats to lock down the whole city.

Complete lockdown of the city would badly affect the routine activities of the petitioners as they practice in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad cities, they added.

Petitioners have requested the court to declare the proposed lockdown of Islamabad as illegal, unconstitutional within the purview of anti-terrorism act (ATA) ATA and other Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) provisions and also sought the court to issue directions for the arrest of Imran Khan.