ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by the federal government seeking contempt of court proceedings against the PTI Chairman Imran Khan for violating the apex court’s orders regarding Azadi March.

A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Yahya Khan Afridi and Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, heard the petition filed by Attorney General for Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali.

The court ruled that reasons for the decision will be given in a detailed judgment to be issued later. The court held that the apex court’s orders from Wednesday would remain in place. The court had ordered the government to designate a spot in H-9 area of the federal capital where the protesters could rally. However, the protesters converged on D-Chowk instead and turned violent.

The court also wrapped up hearing of a petition filed by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) President Muhammad Shoaib Shaheen that sought removal of blockades set up to stop the PTI’s Azadi March. The CJP observed that the Wednesday’s order of allowing PTI to hold protest in Islamabad was to ensure the fundamental rights of movement, assembly and association as enshrined in the Constitution.

However, following the reports of violence and mayhem during the PTI’s protest brought before the court, the court decided to issue a comprehensive order after pondering over the matter keeping in view the nature of assembly and association so that it can serve as a guideline to the practice of constitutional rights in future.

The court observed that fundamental rights of assembly, association, movement are not unlimited, but there are certain limits to them. At the outset of the hearing on Thursday, the Attorney General presented his submissions before the court pointing out the violations of court’s order by PTI. He also mentioned before the court the breach of allowed venue and entering the D-Chowk by PTI workers, burning public property and trees, injuring the security forces personnel and creating turmoil in the federal capital.