Islamabad (November 27, 2017): Islamabad High Court ordered Chief Commissioner Islamabad to submit the agreement reached between the government and the leaders of parties staging Faizabad sit-in to end the protest and adjourned the hearing till December 4, 2017.
IHC judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui was hearing two applications that were filed by residents about the disturbances caused by the protracted sit-in.
The court lashed out at the government as well as the Army for the role assigned to the military “as the mediator” in the agreement to end the sit-in at Islamabad’s Faizabad Interchange.
“Iqbal sahab, you have embarrassed the police and the administration,” Justice Siddiqui said while addressing Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
“What role did the Rangers fulfill?” he asked. “You are supporting the impression that the Army is the cure for all illnesses.”
This is not just an issue of Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the judge said, referring to the religious leader spearheading the TLY sit-in.
The minister told the court that during the protests and the operation in Islamabad, the country’s internal security was at risk. “Security officials were being attacked everyday. Motorways, railways and cities were being closed.”
“There was a conspiracy to show that a nuclear-state was failing. The agreement was reached with the protesters to bring the country out of those circumstances,” said Iqbal.
Upon this the judge remarked that the court had not directed the administration to reach an agreement with the protesters rather asked to clear Faizabad inter-change.
The judge asked why the agreement did not carry the signatures of the chief commissioner and the IG. The document of the agreement reached between protesters and the government bears the signatures of Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Interior Secretary Arshad Mirza, Tehreek Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY) leader Khadim Hussain Rizvi, two other protest leaders and Maj Gen Faiz Hameed, who facilitated the agreement.
The IHC judge, while declaring his love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH), said that these remarks could cost him his life or add him to the list of missing persons’.
The judge tasked Barrister Zafarullah with filing a report on the incident. “He will tell us in 10 days what happened, where and when,” the judge said.
The judge directed Chief Commissioner Islamabad to submit the written agreement between the government and the protesters and details of measures taken by the administration to end the protest on the directives of the court.
