During the hearing of a contempt of court petition against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regarding the November 24 protest, Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Amir Farooq, expressed strong disapproval of both the government and the administration.
Justice Farooq criticized the authorities, stating, "The court had directed the protection of citizens’, traders’, and protesters’ fundamental rights, but you shut down the entire city." He added that while petitioners had sought the court’s permission to keep their businesses operational, officials publicly misrepresented court orders, claiming restrictions were imposed due to the High Court.
The Chief Justice also demanded an explanation from PTI for violating court directives, emphasizing that if PTI acted wrongly, the government’s actions were equally unjustifiable. He reminded all parties of their responsibility to maintain law and order without compromising public rights.
The court instructed the Interior Ministry to submit a comprehensive report on the matter and adjourned the hearing until next week. This case highlights growing tensions over protests and the balance between political expression and citizens’ rights.
