ISLAMABAD (The COW News Digital )The Islamabad High Court has directed authorities not to harass or arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders ahead of the party’s planned long march on September 27.
The order was issued during a hearing of a petition challenging alleged harassment of PTI leaders and workers ahead of the planned political activity. Justice Raja Inaam Amin Minhas presided over the proceedings.
PTI leaders Shoaib Shaheen, Malik Amir Ali and others appeared before the court through their lawyers. During the hearing, Shaheen told the court that arrests and raids had reportedly resumed ahead of the September 27 march.
According to Shaheen, police and other authorities were conducting raids at the homes of PTI workers. He alleged that valuables and cash were also taken during some of the raids.
Shaheen further claimed that members of his family were being harassed despite his own health problems. He also alleged that women and children were being taken away during raids on residential properties.
The lawyer told the court that he was prepared to submit affidavits and CCTV footage in support of the allegations. He requested that the court issue directions preventing authorities from harassing or arresting the petitioners and schedule the next hearing for the following week.
During the proceedings, Justice Minhas said the court would summon the Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations), Islamabad, to seek an explanation regarding the allegations.
The court subsequently ordered the SSP Operations to appear in person. It also directed authorities not to harass or arrest Shoaib Shaheen, Malik Amir Ali and other PTI leaders named in the case.
The hearing was then adjourned.
The allegations made in court regarding raids, arrests, harassment and the removal of valuables were presented by Shaheen and have not been independently established in the information available from the proceedings. The court’s interim directions concern the individuals involved in the petition and do not, by themselves, constitute a final finding on the broader allegations.
The case comes ahead of PTI’s announced September 27 long march, placing the court proceedings within a wider period of political activity and heightened legal scrutiny involving the party.
