ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s capital administration has once again revoked the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) public gathering scheduled for August 22 in Tarnol.
This decision was made during a meeting of the Intelligence Committee chaired by the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad. The district authorities cited concurrent protests organized by religious parties as the reason for denying permission for the PTI event.
Despite the NOC cancellation, PTI Islamabad President Amir Mughal has stated that the gathering will proceed as planned. He emphasized that holding a “peaceful” political event is their constitutional and legal right and invited attendees to the gathering at 4 pm on August 22.
Earlier on July 24, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had overturned the Chief Commissioner’s order to revoke the NOC for the PTI’s public gathering in the capital.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq issued a five-page ruling directing the Islamabad administration to reassess the PTI’s NOC application in accordance with the law. The IHC set aside the July 5 order, demanding that the administration provide justifications for approving or rejecting the PTI’s request and ruled that the NOC revocation was unlawful as it occurred without prior notice to PTI.
The PTI had challenged the NOC revocation in court, arguing that the decision was made in response to concerns about law and order surrounding Ashura. In response, a contempt of court petition was filed by Khanzaada Hussain, requesting that the IHC initiate proceedings against officials for defying the court’s order regarding the NOC.
