Queries raised in Rashid's Umrah case

RAWALPINDI:

A division bench of the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench raised major legal and constitutional questions while hearing the government's intra-court appeal against a single bench decision allowing former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to travel for Umrah.

The judge summoned the federal interior secretary, director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the additional attorney general to appear in person on March 5. The bench also dismissed the petitioner's request seeking suspension of the single bench order permitting Umrah travel, observing that a decision on the matter would be given on the next date of hearing.

The division bench comprising Justice Jawad Hassan and Justice Tariq Mahmood Bajwa heard the case. Sheikh Rashid appeared along with his counsel Sardar Abdul Razzaq and Sardar Shahbaz.

At the outset, Justice Jawad Hassan asked the government team under whose instructions consent was given before the single bench for the petitioner's Umrah travel and, subsequently, under whose directions the appeal against that decision was filed.