The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday dismissed a plea by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) Senator Kamran Murtaza to stop Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s long march towards Islamabad.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial heard the plea on Thursday while presiding over a three-member bench — including Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Ayesha Malik.
CJP Bandial dismissed the petition, terming it ‘infructuous’ and ‘pointless’. “Prima facie, the court’s interference on the issue would be premature […] court will exercise judicial restraint in such political matters,” he said.
Senator Kamran Murtaza argued that the long march was affecting the everyday life of the common man, and in the interest of not causing any more harm and not losing any more lives, it should be called off.
“Everyday life of people has been disrupted due to the long march. PTI reserves its right to hold a long march, but in no way is it allowed to disturb a commoner’s life,” he said, adding that the situation was getting ‘out of hand’ since the Wazirabad attack during which a person lost his life, and Khan himself was injured.
Justice Minallah noted that the Senator’s complaint should have been directed towards the executive government. “When the administration has the authority to control the long march, why should the courts intervene?” he mused.
The JUI-F Senator had moved the Supreme Court a week ago, but was told by the court that if the law and order situation worsens, a fresh appeal could be submitted. The CJP said that prima facie, the court’s intervention would be ‘premature’.
