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Former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaaf (PTI) has given a fresh call for nationwide protests starting in Islamabad to ensure the independence of the judiciary, as reported by Dawn.
The announcement was made a day after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur threatened the central government and other government institutions with severe consequences if action against the PTI workers was not stopped. The protests are scheduled to take place in Islamabad tomorrow despite the city introducing a fresh law that imposes a blanket ban on meetings and public gatherings in Pakistan's capital city. Dawn reported that as per Imran Khan's announcement, the party will hold protests in other key cities of Pakistan like Mianwali, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur on October 2, followed by a similar demonstration at the Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore on Oct 5. Under the new legislation titled, 'Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Bill 2024', every party wishing to organise protests has to appoint an event coordinator who would seek permission from the district magistrate to hold the event at least seven days before the intended date. "Upon receipt of the application, the district magistrate, before granting permission, shall examine the prevailing law and order situation and obtain security clearance reports from law enforcement agencies," the law stated. The Peaceful Assembly Bill also empowers the central government to designate a specific area of Islamabad as a 'red zone' or 'high-security zone', thereby prohibiting all types of assemblies in that area, as noted by Dawn. In a reaction to the judicial changes being introduced in the country, Imran Khan said, "We will defend the judiciary and will continue a struggle for real freedom." (ANI)
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