The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday issued notice to authorities asking them to file comments on a petition seeking to ban public rallies and sit-ins on main thoroughfares like MA Jinnah Road.
Headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar, a division bench was hearing a petition filed by non-governmental organisation, United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (UHRCP)’s secretary general, Rana Faizul Hassan, through which he sought injunction restraining authorities from allowing political and religious parties to hold public rallies and sit-ins on main roads of the city.
In the petition, Rana submitted commuters had to face immense inconvenience and gridlocks due to blockade of main roads of the city by political and religious parties for public gatherings and sit-ins.
He said protesting religious parties held sit-ins for a week at Numaish Chowrangi causing disruption to smooth flow of traffic. Besides, he said, hours long traffic jam took heavy toll on office-goers and affected emergency works badly.
He added that closure of road was also violation of the fundamental rights of the citizens. Therefore, he requested the court to directed authorities not to allow religious and political parties to hold the public gatherings and protests at the places like MA Jinnah Road, Numaish Chowrangi and Guru Mandar.