ISLAMABAD: A 6th grade student approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against `stealing` of his speech which he was supposed to deliver in connection with the birth anniversary of Qaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah at the President House.

After hearing the preliminary arguments, Justice Aamer Farooq reserved order on the maintainability of the petition on Friday.

Mohammad Sabeel Haider and his father Naseem Abbas Nasir in the petition cited the secretary to the president, additional secretary President`s Secretariat, the director colleges, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the managing director of PTV and the principal Islamabad College for Girl, F-6/2, as respondents.

Mr Haider contended that he participated in a programme arranged by the presidency on March 23 and delivered a speech. Later, the president issued him a letterofappreciation.

The petitioner added that a ceremony was scheduled to be held in connection with the 141th birthday of Quaid-i-Azam titled Quaid-i-Azam aur Bachay.

On Dec 14, the respondents requested the petitioner to deliver a speech at the ceremony on the topic of Pakistan ka Mustaqbil, which had to be recorded on December 22.

Mr Haider`s exams were scheduled from December 2 to 19 but even then he agreed to deliver the speech.

Later, he participated in the rehearsal on a daily basis from Dec 14 onwards.

With the help of his father, the student prepared a script of the speech and for-warded it to the of ficials at the presidency for approval. The officials appreciated and approved the script and returned it after a vetting.

On the instructions of the respondents, Mr Haider purchased and got stitched specific clothing which was mandatory for the formal ceremony.

The script was presented before the respondents time and again on the day of the final and full dress rehearsal at Aiwan-i-Sadar on December 21.

On December 22, the petitioner reached Aiwan-i-Sadar at 8am and sat on the reserved seat, waiting for his turn to deliver the speech.

However, Mr Haider was informed that the speech was going to be delivered by a girl. When she delivered the speech, it was revealed that her speech was the originalscriptpreparedbythe petitioner.

The counsel for the petitioner termed it a theft and a violation of intellectual property, intellect and copyrights.

The recorded ceremony would be telecast through electronic media on December 25. The counsel said replacing the petitioner for the speech and stealing his script was a violation of fundamental rights amounting to discrimination, exploiting and social injustice protected under the Constitution.

He said replacing the petitioner at the eleventh hour was also arbitrary, illegal and against justice.

He requested the court to restrain the respondents from airing the stolen speech through the electronic or social media. Malik Asad