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Islamabad, August 29: The Islamabad High Court has criticized the city for becoming a 'container city,' referring to the frequent blockages of main roads, according to a report by Pakistan's Dawn.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq suggested on Wednesday that the High Court might issue a show cause notice to the Chief Commissioner over these issues. The remarks came during a hearing of a contempt plea filed by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, challenging the administration's cancellation of a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) for a public meeting.
Farooq highlighted that due to inadequate arrangements, daily commuters faced significant difficulties as access to Constitution Avenue was blocked from all directions except Margalla Road. He noted that traffic congestion led to long delays, with vehicles moving just 500 meters in 40-50 minutes, describing the situation as one where the capital was essentially 'closed' and containers were everywhere.
The Chief Justice questioned the district administration about the reasons for the road blockages and warned that he might issue summons to the Chief Commissioner if the situation does not improve, calling the current state of affairs 'undesirable.'
PTI's counsel, Shoaib Shaheen, argued that the district administration retracted the NOC at the last moment, despite a commitment from the district magistrate to permit the August 22 rally. Shaheen claimed the magistrate had promised not to allow any display of force.
In response to the Chief Justice’s inquiry about the cancellation, the Advocate General cited law and order concerns. Farooq acknowledged these concerns but expressed frustration over the late withdrawal of the rally permission. He emphasized that organizers should be given timely information about security threats and assured that PTI leaders would not jeopardize the safety of their supporters.
The Advocate General assured that the District Administration would not retract the NOC issued for a rally scheduled for September 10.
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