LHC requests constitution of larger bench for Model Town hearing

Full bench directs registrar's office to place case file before CJ for appropriate orders.

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) full bench requested on Tuesday Chief Justice (CJ) Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmad to constitute a larger bench to hear a petition challenging the functioning of the single-judge for the Model Town inquiry tribunal.

As the full bench resumed the hearing, Advocate Aftab Bajwa stated that the reference judge, Justice Abdul Sattar Asghar, who had heard the matter as part of a single bench, should be part of the full bench.

The full bench directed the registrar's office to place the case file before the CJ for appropriate orders for the constitution of a larger bench -- with the inclusion of Justice Asghar.

The full bench so far comprises Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan, Justice Mahmood Maqbool Bajwa and Justice Anwarul Haq.

One Qamar Sohail filed the petition, saying the constitution of the tribunal was against the honour of the judiciary. He said in the past, several judicial commissions were constituted but there recommendations were never implemented, which raised questions on the independence of the judiciary.

The petitioner further said that the government always requests judicial authorities to constitute commissions and inquiry tribunals, and uses them as a shield to protect their wrongdoings.

He requested the court to restrain the inquiry tribunal from holding proceedings on the Model Town incident.