The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday declined a verbal plea to take suo motu notice of the deaths reported during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) protest in Islamabad.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Additional Advocate General (AAG) requested the court to address the fatalities, citing the deaths of three Rangers and two police personnel, as confirmed by government officials, and the PTI’s claim that eight of its members were killed.
“Yesterday, there were deaths on both sides. The constitutional bench should take suo motu notice [of the issue],” the AAG urged during a hearing related to the climate change authority, in which he appeared via video link.
Judicial Response
Justice Musarrat Hilali advised against introducing political issues in Supreme Court proceedings, while Justice Aminuddin Khan, leading the constitutional bench, noted that the court could only address matters formally presented before it. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail added that the bench would refrain from commenting on matters beyond its jurisdiction.
Consequently, the bench rejected the verbal plea, maintaining its focus on the case at hand.
Government Criticism of PTI Protest
In the early hours of Wednesday, PTI announced a temporary suspension of its “do-or-die” protest following a midnight crackdown that dispersed its workers.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar criticized the party’s actions, terming the protest a “colossal failure.” He remarked: “This was not the final call, but merely a missed call,” referring to the party’s inability to sustain its momentum.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, speaking at a late-night press conference at D-Chowk, highlighted the damages caused during the protest, which he estimated in the billions. Questioning the frequency of such incidents, Naqvi asked, “How many more times do we need to deal with situations like this?”
The protest’s aftermath has raised questions about the recurring cycle of political unrest and its impact on public resources and safety.
