Contempt petition: LHC issues fresh notices to Zardari's principal secretary
LHC adjourns case till September 14, summons AG Qadir.
LAHORE:
Adjourning the hearing till September 14, the Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued fresh notice to President Asif Ali Zardari’s principal secretary in a contempt petition filed against the president, Express News reported.
A contempt petition was filed against President Zardari, for allegedly violating court orders to give up political activities from the presidency or the office of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman.
The hearing was underway by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Nasir Saeed Sheikh, Sheikh Najamul Hasan, Ijazul Ahsan. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah could not appear for the hearing because he was on leave.
Wasim Sajjad was representing the federation in the court in today’s hearing. He requested the court to extend the hearing date, because the federation was still deliberating if the case merits a hearing or not.
The chief justice told Sajjad that if the president has any objections, he can present a lawyer in the court in this regard.
Petitioner's counsel AK Dogar argued that the case had already been prolonged and that the court needed to make a “swift decision” now.
Justice Bandial summoned Attorney General Irfan Qadir for the next hearing. AG Qadir is currently present in the Quetta Registry of the Supreme Court for the Balochistan security case. The chief justice also ruled that the federal government should also be made a party in the case.
The additional AG informed the court that Qadir will appear in the next hearing to assist the court.
At the last hearing on June 27, a three-member bench had given Zardari until September 5 to disassociate the presidency from political activities.
The petition was moved by Munir Ahmad through Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique and Dogar.
The petitioner submitted that the use of the presidency for partisan political activities was illegal and amounted to showing contempt for the court orders of May 12, 2011.
Adjourning the hearing till September 14, the Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued fresh notice to President Asif Ali Zardari’s principal secretary in a contempt petition filed against the president, Express News reported.
A contempt petition was filed against President Zardari, for allegedly violating court orders to give up political activities from the presidency or the office of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman.
The hearing was underway by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justices Nasir Saeed Sheikh, Sheikh Najamul Hasan, Ijazul Ahsan. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah could not appear for the hearing because he was on leave.
Wasim Sajjad was representing the federation in the court in today’s hearing. He requested the court to extend the hearing date, because the federation was still deliberating if the case merits a hearing or not.
The chief justice told Sajjad that if the president has any objections, he can present a lawyer in the court in this regard.
Petitioner's counsel AK Dogar argued that the case had already been prolonged and that the court needed to make a “swift decision” now.
Justice Bandial summoned Attorney General Irfan Qadir for the next hearing. AG Qadir is currently present in the Quetta Registry of the Supreme Court for the Balochistan security case. The chief justice also ruled that the federal government should also be made a party in the case.
The additional AG informed the court that Qadir will appear in the next hearing to assist the court.
At the last hearing on June 27, a three-member bench had given Zardari until September 5 to disassociate the presidency from political activities.
The petition was moved by Munir Ahmad through Advocate Muhammad Azhar Siddique and Dogar.
The petitioner submitted that the use of the presidency for partisan political activities was illegal and amounted to showing contempt for the court orders of May 12, 2011.