IT minister told to consult experts on YouTube ban

Bench directs Minister Anusha Rehman Khan to meet with experts before the next hearing on May 13.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court directed minister of information technology to consult experts to evolve a joint strategy to unblock YouTube and filter objectionable content.

On Saturday, a division bench headed by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah issued a written order.

The bench directed Minister Anusha Rehman Khan to meet with Salman Akhtar, chief executive officer of Techlogix Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd, LUMS Associate Professor Zartash Afzal Uzmi, Centre for Entrepreneurship Executive Director Khurram Zafar and Naytel Private Limited CEO Wahhajus Siraj, an officer of the attorney general’s office and a representative of petitioner, Bytes for All, before the next hearing on May 13.

After an unconditional apology was submitted, the court had “decided to exercise judicial restrain” instead of serving a contempt of court notice to a journalist for recording court proceedings.

Fortress Stadium

During the last week, a single bench of the LHC once again sought comments from the Ministry of Defence and the Fortress Stadium management on a petition against a five-story shopping mall at the stadium.

Advocate Ahmar Bilal Soofi, the former law minister, filed his power of attorney on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and Advocate Sameer Khosa on behalf of the company that has constructed the plaza.

The court was hearing a petition by Nayyer Khan, a journalist, saying the Shopping Mall Complex in Fortress Stadium on 60,942 square feet was constructed in violation of rules and relevant provisions of law. He says at the land there was headquarters of 114 Brigade but its facilities were razed for construction of the plaza. He said the land was reserved for specific military purposes.

He said it could only be used for fortifications, barracks, stores, arsenal aerodromes, bungalows for military officers, parade grounds, military recreation grounds, rifle ranges, grass farms, dairy farms, brick fields, hospitals and gardens.

Money matters

LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial accepted a petition of Justice (r) Karamat Nazir Bhandari who had complained about non-payment of post-retirement benefits, including pension equal to a judge of the Supreme Court.

Ruling party MPA disqualified

An election tribunal during declared election of an MPA Lt Col (r) Shujaat Ahmed Khan from PP 136-Narowal as rigged and ordered re-election in the constituency. The tribunal issued the order on a petition by Muhammad Wakil Khan Manj, the independent candidate who had contested against Khan. The tribunal ordered the election commission to make arrangements for fresh polling in the constituency as soon as possible.

Aasia Bibi

A special division bench of the LHC adjourned hearing on the appeal of death row convict Aasia Bibi till April 14 as counsel for the complainant did not appear before the court.

Bibi, who has been in jail since June 2009, was sentenced to death and fined Rs 100,000 by a Nankana Sahib additional district and sessions judge under Section 295-C of Pakistan Penal Code.

Death awarded for blasphemy

A lower court awarded death sentence to a Christian man, father of two minors, for blasphemy. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 200,000 on Sawan Masih, the resident of Joseph Colony.

The incident had triggered a mob attack on houses of Christians in Joseph Colony on March 7, 2013. The police had lodged an FIR on 200 people. They were all obtained bails and no ruling has been made on the case so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2014.