Inviting workers of all political parties to join the protest, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the sit-in in Islamabad outside the Supreme Court will continue until the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial resigns.
The ruling alliance of 13 political parties is all set to hold a sit-in outside the Supreme Court on Monday (tomorrow) to protest the judiciary’s "undue facilitation" to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
The protest sit-in coincides with the hearing of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea asking the apex court to revisit its order of holding elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14. The petition will be heard a day after the court-ordered election deadline lapses.
Fazl, in a video message released on Saturday, said that the sit-in would be staged against the protection being given by a three-member bench of the apex court and Islamabad High Court to a "criminal".
“I ask the workers of all political parties to reach Constitution Avenue in Islamabad at 9am on Monday to show national solidarity against the protection of the criminal by the three-member bench and the high court," he said.
The PDM chief, who is also the president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam's (JUI) Fazl faction, shared that all had been done and dusted for the event and thousands of workers would reach the venue from all the provinces.
Refering to relief provided to Khan in terms of bails, Fazl said that the courts were encouraging a "criminal" to weaken the country and to disintegrate.
He then asked workers of Ansarul Islam, a volunteer organisation of the JUI-F, to ensure discipline and peace during the protest, and also requested lawyers to participate in the event to ensure supremacy of law.
Fazl further stated that the entire nation was protesting against the actions of a few individuals of an institution and the biased approach to breach the Constitution.
“We should make it a national protest to give a strong message to the judiciary to give up such actions,” the PDM chief said.
Police officials skip SC registrar's security meeting
As the ruling coalition gears up for a protest outside the apex court, the SC Registrar had called a meeting of the Islamabad administration to chalk out a security plan and arrangements in view of Monday's sit-in.
It may be noted that hearings of major cases such as elections and National Accountability Ordinance (NAO) 1999 amendments are due in the SC on Monday.
The Registrar’s Office had summoned the Islamabad deputy commissioner, AIG (Special Branch), DIG (Operation) as well as SSP (Operation).
However, it emerged that no other officer, except for the Islamabad deputy commissioner, showed up at the meeting. At this the registrar expressed grave concerns and directed the deputy commissioner to ensure security arrangements on Monday.
