Shrines: LHC summons Auqaf Dept secretary

Justice Ijazul Ahsan stated that the Auqaf Department had ignored the court order.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday summoned the Auqaf Department secretary in a contempt of court petition for allegedly violating court order’s regarding closing shrines in the city by 8 pm on May 30.  Justice Ijazul Ahsan issued the order on the petition of Waqar Hussain who submitted that the secretary after twin suicide attacks on the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA) last year had ordered that all shrines in the city be closed by 8 pm. He said this action was challenged before the high court and the court had set it aside. The court had directed the authorities to ensure security of shrines’ visitors instead of closing the shrines, the petitioner submitted. He stated that the Auqaf Department had ignored the court order and continued to close shrines by 8 pm which amounted to contempt of court.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2011.