LHC issues written order on President's dual office case

President has till September 5 to give up the office of Co-chairman PPP.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court ruled that the law of holding one office by the incumbent president of Pakistan as observed by a full bench in is order regarding the dual office case has enforceable legal effects and binding force.

A three member full bench on June 27 had granted time to President Asif Ali Zardari to relinquish office of PPP co-chairman by September 5. Its written order was issued on Friday.

“In the present case, the respondent president has also accepted the judgment (issued on May 12, 2011) by not challenging the same. That confers finality on the judgment and stops the respondent from challenging it. It is also plain that even after the lapse of one year following the judgment, the respondent continues to retain in his private capacity the office of Co-chairperson of the Pakistan Peoples Party. Prima facie the forgoing facts are such that these require further probes by this court.”

The court ordered its office to serve the instant order to the President through his principal secretary and asking him to submit a written reply to explain about the position taken by Zardari regarding compliance of court order.

The court also issued notice to attorney general of Pakistan to seek his assistance on various constitutional aspects of the case.