That cases were registered against PTI ladders from Lahore by an Anti-Terrorism Court in connection with the events of March 25, followed by their obtaining bail, shows that the government’s refusal to allow the constitutionally guaranteed right of assembly is as bullheaded as ever, the change of government having made no difference.
The only difference is that whereas previously it was former ministers of the PML(N) who faced the wrath of the state, now it is former PTI ministers.
The method is painfully familiar, and has been used by the colonial-era police: first restrict the right to assemble, if necessary by such means as tear-gas shelling and police lathi charge, then register cases against objects of your ire, and make them do the rounds of police stations and courts, getting bail and facing charges.
While those who had cases registered against them were able to obtain bail, this does not mean that there was any reason for their original right of assembly to be violated.
The courts have historically taken a liberal view of bail mainly because they know that the law is designed to enable the police to detain. The government uses the violation of a declaration under Section 144 PPC, preventing the gathering of more than five persons, as the basis for picking up people.
Truer, if the government learns that a gathering has some criminal intent, such as committing a robbery, or a riot, it should be able to stop it, but that should not be at the cost of the citizen’s right of assembly. The PTI should reflect on the use of such laws, while the PML(N), PPP and other coalition members should remember that these laws were used against them only recently.
