IHC says judiciary needs no political crutches

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar on Thursday observed that the judiciary was not so weak that it needed the support of a political party. He made the remarks while hearing a petition seeking to restrain the PTI from holding its Sept 27 long march in the federal capital. A three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Dogar and Justices MuhammadAzam Khan and Muhammad Asif, heard a petition filed by citizen Waqas Ahmed against the PTI's proposed Sept 27 march. Attorney General for Pakistan Usman Mansoor Awan, along with the advocate generals and police chiefs of all four provinces and other officials, appeared before the court in compliance with its orders. The attorney general argued that courts could issue binding directions to executive authorities concerning the protection of citizens' fundamental rights within their jurisdiction. Referring to previous instances of alleged violations of court orders during protests, the attorney general said a Supreme Court assurance in May 2022 had not been honoured, while an IHC order issued in 2024 had also been violated. He urged the court to direct provincial police chiefs and chief secretaries to maintain law and order and ensure adherence to the Constitution, arguing that the police chiefs belonged to the Police Service of Pakistan rather than individual provinces. The attorney general also said the PTI appeared to be preparing for the upcoming march on a larger scale than before, with the K-P chief minister expected to be involved. He recalled that 31 police personnel had been injured during the May 2022 protests and that the army had subsequently been called in under Article 245 of the Constitution. The chief justice questioned the K-P advocate general about the provincial government's position on the petition.