The Islamabad High Court has disposed of the two petitions challenging the JUI-F’s upcoming Azadi March.

Fazlur Rehman, the party chief, had announced that his party will march towards Islamabad on October 31, adding that the ‘Azadi March’ is aimed at toppling Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

The court has instructed the government and administration to make a decision on the matter.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah said that no court in the world can take away someone’s right to protest. The government is responsible for safeguarding the rights of the people, he said, adding that every person has a right to protest.

Petitioners Riaz Hanif Rahi and Hafiz Ehtesham appeared in court too.

Rahi argued that Fazl is staging a protest against the government. “You can protest any policy but you can’t stage a demonstration against the democratic government,” he said. The court has given a verdict against lockdown before, the JUI-F should be stopped from holding its march, Rahi added.

In the past, this court had given the PTI the right to stage a protest after it was denied to do so by the authorities, an IHC judge said.

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