Islamabad authorities deny PTI permission for August 22 rally due to security concerns

The Islamabad administration has officially denied permission to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold a public rally in the federal capital on August 22, citing security concerns, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Wednesday.

The decision was formalized in a notification issued by Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa.

The decision followed a meeting of the District Intelligence Committee, chaired by the Chief Commissioner, where senior officials, including IG Islamabad and DC Islamabad, reviewed the matter.

The notification stated that the decision was made based on recommendations from the committee, which highlighted significant security risks due to various ongoing events in the city.

Despite PTI's prolonged struggle to secure a venue for their rally, including a recent attempt to organize a public gathering on August 13, the authorities have consistently raised security concerns, leading to repeated denials of permission.

Earlier, in June, Islamabad High Court's Justice Babar Sattar had directed both PTI and the city's administration to reach an amicable solution regarding the rally. Although PTI was initially granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Deputy Commissioner, it was later suspended by the Chief Commissioner, citing the onset of Muharram and local residents' complaints.

In response to the suspension, PTI had approached the Islamabad High Court seeking contempt of court proceedings, but the plea was ultimately disposed of. The party’s latest attempt to organize a rally on August 22 has now been officially blocked by the district administration.