Avoiding anarchy: Larger LHC bench sought to hear plea against Azadi March

Court says petitions carried important legal questions that needed further interpretation

LAHORE:

A judge of the Lahore High Court on Thursday asked the chief justice to constitute a larger bench to hear petitions against the Azadi March announced by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan.

Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan was hearing a petition filed by a citizen, Kamran, and an advocate. It was pointed out that a similar petition was awaiting adjudication before another bench of the court. The petitioner asked the judge to refer the matter to the chief justice of the LHC to constitute a larger bench. Justice Khan said the petitions carried important legal questions that needed interpretation at a higher level.

Additional Attorney General Naseer Ahmad Bhutta told the judge that the federal government would have no objection if a larger bench was constituted. Advocate General Hanif Khatana gave consent on behalf of the provincial government.

Justice Khan sent the case to Chief Justice Khwaja Imtiaz Ahmad requesting him to constitute a larger bench to hear the matter.

The petitioner had submitted that the march announced by the PTI would lead to anarchy in country.

He said the PTI’s protest march would also damage the country’s democratic set up and allow anti-democratic elements to prevail.

He asked the court to issue an order to the government to hold dialogue with opposition parties and stop the PTI from holding the Azadi March.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2014.