On Monday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered Lahore District Commissioner (DC) Rafia Haider and Security Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dost Muhammad to appear before it on a petition filed by Aurat March organizers against the administration's decision to deny them permission to stage a rally in the city due to "security concerns."
(NOC) from the district administration to hold a rally on March 8 at Nasser Bagh, Lahore, followed by a march around the park's perimeter. However, DC Haider rejected the plea, citing "the current security scenario, threat alerts, and law and order situation, and in light of activities like controversial cards and banners for awareness of women's rights and the strong reservation of the general public and religious organizations, especially JI's (Jamaat-i-Islami) women's and student wings, who had also announced a program against the Aurat March."
As a result, Aurat March organizers submitted a petition to the LHC under Article 199 of the Constitution, with DC Haider, the Punjab government, Lahore's capital city police officer, and National Commission for Human Rights Punjab member Nadeem Ashraf as respondents.
During the proceeding, Justice Anwar Hussain summoned DC Haider and SSP Muhammad to court on March 7. The Aurat March petition requested that the LHC set aside the DC's order, arguing that it was "arbitrary, discriminatory and ultra vires" of various constitutional articles and that its operation should be suspended until adjudication on the plea. The plea requested that the respondents "be directed to fully facilitate the petitioners and all the women of Lahore to peacefully participate in the Aurat March being organized at Nasir Bagh."
The petition argued that the DC's order was an "arbitrary and colorable exercise of power and is in clear violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Constitution." It added that the petitioners had met DC Haider and explained the plan for the march, during which she "did not raise any serious objection and did not even hint at the possibility that the Aurat March would not be allowed to be held."
The petitioners also argued that the DC's order was discriminatory, allowing other groups to hold rallies and marches while prohibiting the Aurat March from doing so without any cogent reasons. They requested the court to strike down the impugned order.
The court will hear the case in front of Justice Anwar Hussain.
Author: Alisha Hussain
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