Court wants response from ECP in 2 weeks to Sadiq’s petition against commission’s decision to accept Khan’s appeal. PHOTO: FILE
The Lahore High Court on Monday stayed the proceedings of an election tribunal considering PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s appeal for a recount at NA-122, Lahore, where he finished as runner-up to National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq in general elections in May.
The court also sought a response from the Election Commission within two weeks to Sadiq’s petition against the commission’s decision to accept Khan’s appeal.
Sadiq’s counsel submitted that the documents and affidavits submitted by Khan to the tribunal in support of his appeal for a recount were photocopies rather than original documents.
He said that the tribunal could not proceed with copies and required the original documents.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan issued a stay order stopping the tribunal from conducting hearings.
Ishaq bail plea sent to trial court
A Lahore High Court division bench on Monday dismissed as withdrawn a bail petition from Malik Ishaq, leader of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (formerly known as Lashkar-i-Jhangvi), who is accused of abetting the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009.
The bench directed the counsel for the accused to seek bail from the trial court, which it gave 10 days to decide the matter. The counsel withdrew the petition after the bench observed that the petitioner had bypassed the trial court in applying for bail directly to the LHC.
Meanwhile, the bench adjourned another plea by Ishaq for bail in two hate speech cases as the police record was not available. According to FIRs registered by Bhakkar police, Ishaq made objectionable speeches at public gatherings on August 8, 2012, and February 2, 2013.
LHC refuses to stay road construction
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court on Monday turned down a request for a stay on the construction of a motorway between Multan and Faisalabad.
The chief justice observed that such an order was not in the public interest. He adjourned the hearing as no National Highway Authority representative appeared before the court on Monday.
The petitioner, lawyer Syed Feroze Shah Gillani, has argued that the government’s allotment of Rs47 billion for the project amounted to a misuse of the public exchequer, as the country could not afford “the luxury of such a road”. The government should instead spend this money on saving Pakistan Railways and tackling the gas shortage, he said. He asked the court to stop the government from building the road and to redirect the money elsewhere.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2013.
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