Top judge’s decision: LHC full bench to hear plea against Imran

Petitioner has sought an order to restrain PTI from holding Raiwind rally

LAHORE: The top judge has formed a full bench to take up the petition against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan for leading a political gathering to Raiwind.

PTI is scheduled to hold its political prowess near Jati Umra, the plush residential complex of the ruling Sharif family near Lahore, on September 30 against the government’s dilly-dallying over forming a judicial commission to investigate Panama leaks.

Advocate Farooq Sattar has moved another application in the Lahore High Court on his already pending constitutional petition against the 2014 sit-in by PTI.

The applicant’s counsel AK Dogar submitted that Imran had returned to the same position he was on two years ago.

The petitioner accused the PTI chief of delivering hateful speeches that generated discord and confrontation among different sections of the society. Imran, he alleged, had once again started asking the prime minister to step down in the wake of Panama leaks about offshore companies.

He requested the court to issue directions to restrain Imran from launching an “unconstitutional” activity of encircling the Raiwind residence of the prime minister.

On September 17, Justice Shahid Karim had referred the case to the Lahore High Court chief justice to constitute a larger bench to hear the application.On Thursday, the LHC chief justice constituted a three-member full bench to take up the petition seeking directions to stop the PTI chairperson from staging the rally in Raiwind.

The bench will comprise Justice Shahid Hameed Dar, Justice Muhammad Anwaarul Haq and Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan. The judges will start proceedings from next week.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2016.