News Analysis |
Islamabad Capital Administration issued a ‘final warning’ to protesters camped out at the Faizabad Interchange to disperse on Friday. They have threatened to take action if the order is not followed.
The district magistrate issued a notification to the religious hardliners of Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLY) to disperse by midnight. The protestors occupying the Faizabad Interchange are demanding the resignation of Law Minister Zahid Hamid and are refusing to budge.
The notification also made clear that for the organization of any protest, coordination with authorities was mandatory and the TLY protestors have not made any such efforts.
The notification stated that if the order to disperse was not heeded, relevant law enforcement agencies would take action against them. The district magistrate noted that for two weeks the protesters have illegally occupied the Faizabad Bridge, which connects Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The notification recalls that the participants have been asked to disperse thrice before but to no avail.
Read More: Islamabad sit-in: Will the state surrender?
The administration has directed the protestors to relocate to the parade ground.
“The Parade Ground located near the Faizabad Interchange has been allocated for protests,” the release stated.
The notification also made clear that for the organization of any protest, coordination with authorities was mandatory and the TLY protestors have not made any such efforts.
Earlier on Friday, the Islamabad High Court has issued a show cause notice to Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal with regards to the government’s failure to enforce the court’s orders for the dispersal of the Faizabad sit-in.
The IHC had previously given a deadline of 23rd Nov for the dispersal of the protest but it was not implemented.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddique queried the chief commissioner over why the protestors had not yet been dispersed as per court orders to which the chief commissioner replied that the government had restrained relevant authorities from taking action.
Read More: IHC issues show-cause notice to Ahsan Iqbal
The court ordered the interior minister to appear in person on November 27th.
The IHC had previously given a deadline of 23rd Nov for the dispersal of the protest but it was not implemented.
The court stated that the authorities had not been asked to use bullets to disperse the sit-in rather, batons and tear gas could effectively dislodge the protestors.
This reasoning was seconded by the Supreme Court which has also taken notice of the situation.
The apex court has raised the question of who was supporting these protestors who seem to be living rather comfortably in their camps along the Islamabad Expressway.