PTI seeks LHC order for August 5 Minar-e-Pakistan rally

PTI turns to the Lahore High Court as uncertainty grows over permission for its August 5 Minar-e-Pakistan rally....

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has moved the Lahore High Court (LHC), seeking judicial intervention after the Lahore district administration allegedly failed to decide its application for permission to hold a public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan on August 5.

The constitutional petition, filed by PTI Lahore President Mian Usman Akram through legal counsel, names the Deputy Commissioner Lahore and other relevant government authorities as respondents. The party argues that the delay has created uncertainty over one of its planned political gatherings at a time of increasing political activity across the country.

According to the petition, PTI submitted its application to the Deputy Commissioner’s office on July 22, requesting official permission to organize a peaceful public rally at the historic Minar-e-Pakistan. However, despite the passage of several days, the district administration has neither approved nor rejected the request.

The petitioner contends that the prolonged silence from the authorities amounts to an arbitrary exercise of power and effectively prevents the party from exercising its constitutional rights. It argues that every citizen and political party is entitled to hold peaceful public meetings and political gatherings, subject to reasonable restrictions imposed by law.

PTI maintains that administrative authorities cannot deny constitutional freedoms simply by delaying decisions on lawful applications. The petition states that the failure to issue a timely decision has deprived the party of sufficient time to make arrangements for the proposed gathering and has created unnecessary legal uncertainty.

The petition further argues that public assemblies are an essential component of a democratic society, allowing political parties to communicate with supporters and present their views peacefully. It says government officials are legally required to act fairly, transparently, and within a reasonable timeframe while deciding such applications.

Seeking judicial relief, PTI has asked the Lahore High Court to direct the Deputy Commissioner Lahore to decide the pending application for the August 5 rally without further delay. The party has also requested the court to declare the prolonged inaction unconstitutional, unlawful, and without legal authority.

In addition, the petition urges the court to ensure that the respondents perform their statutory duties in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws, enabling the party to exercise its democratic and political rights through a peaceful public gathering.

The case is expected to come before the Lahore High Court in the coming days. The court’s decision could determine whether the district administration must promptly rule on PTI’s request ahead of the proposed August 5 rally. At the time of filing, no official response had been issued by the Lahore district administration regarding the allegations made in the petition.