‘Govt may use administrative powers according to the law: CJP

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered counsel of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to file a concise statement by today (Friday) in relation to the petition filed against the party over their protests being staged on Constitution Avenue.

A five-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk, was hearing the case. During the hearing, the PTI counsels Hamid Khan and Ahmed Owais appeared in the court.

Advocate Asma Jahangir said that the court supported right of freedom of expression and always encouraged this right but an impression was being created as if freedom was absolute. According to the Constitution, this freedom of expression and right of assembly was subject to some reasonable restriction, she said.

Participating in a long march or running a sit in was a perfect right. “If I ask Mr Kamran Murtaza (president of Supreme Court Bar Association) that you should resign, this demand is my right but if I bring one-fourth of the members and storm into the SC Bar Association Office under the claim that it is the will of the people, then it will be classified as usurpation,” she argued.

Hamid Khan argued that the PTI was a peaceful party which had never violated the constitutional lines. He said the PTI was against any extra-constitutional steps.