Court tells PTI to approach district admin for helipad, NOC.

ISLAMABAD -- Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Aamer Farooq termed the petition of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) seeking permission for a public gathering in the capital and landing of PTI chief Imran Khan's helicopter at Parade Ground 'premature' and asked the former ruling party to approach the district administration for a no-objection certificate (NOC).

The IHC chief justice observed that granting permission for procession or sit-in was a domain of the district administration as the high court could neither direct them to issue NOC nor order them to allow the taking off and landing of the PTI chief's helicopter at Parade Ground.

PTI's divisional president for Islamabad Malik Sajid filed a petition before the IHC for permission to organise its long march in Islamabad.

The petition cited the interior secretary, the Islamabad inspector general and the deputy commissioner as respondents. It said the PTI chairman had given a call to his workers and leadership for a sit-in in Islamabad scheduled to be held on Nov 26.

The petition said the PTI on Nov 20 submitted an application to get permission for the sit-in which was not granted as of yet. The petition also requested the court to issue directions to the district administration for the NOC for the sit-in.

It further requested the court to direct the above-mentioned respondent authorities to 'allow helicopter of chairman PTI Imran Khan for landing and taking off from Parade Ground till the conclusion of the gathering'.

At the outset, Justice Farooq remarked that the high court cannot provide helipad services since it was the domain of the district administration. He added the law empowered the...