Doctors’ rights: Larger bench to hear cases against MTI Reforms Act
PHC gives Imran Khan more time to file reply in contempt petitions
Peshawar High Court. PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR:
Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel ordered the formation of a larger bench to hear all petitions filed by doctors against the K-P Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act 2015. The order was issued after questions on the constitutional and fundamental rights of the medical community were raised during the hearing on Thursday.
A divisional bench of CJ Miankhel and Justice Younis Thaheem took up different petitions challenging the act and appointment of Nosherwan Barki as Lady Reading Hospital board of directors’ chairman. There were also petitions related to PTI chief Imran Khan’s alleged contempt of court.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Advocate General Abdul Latif Yousafzai told the bench the petitions raised questions about constitutional and fundamental rights and therefore a larger bench should be formed to hear the case.
Lawyers representing the petitioners supported the request and said they would not object. Accepting the plea, the chief justice ordered a larger bench to hear the vires of the act.
Earlier, the bench also extended the date of a contempt of court notice against Imran and asked him to submit a reply by December 2.
The advocate general informed the bench he was contacted by Imran and the cricketer-turned-politician requested for more time to submit a detailed reply.
The chief justice also enquired whether Yousafzai could appear on behalf of the head of a political party. The attorney general replied he was merely relaying a request to the bench and said Imran’s lawyer would appear before the court at the next hearing.
‘Mafia’
Advocate Khalid Mehmud, representing one of the petitioners, said politicians should avoid issuing statements to the media on sub judice matters.
The bench also ordered separate contempt of court petitions apart from the constitutional petitions against the PTI chairperson. Several complainants produced press clippings in which Khan compared the doctors to a mafia and used derogatory language against them.
The same bench has also ordered compensation should be paid within two months under the Shuhada package to families of personnel who have lost their lives in militancy-related incidents.
CJ Miankhel and Justice Taheem were hearing a contempt of court notice filed by Zarmina Bibi through her counsel Sardar Ali Raza against the failure to implement court orders.
The CJ remarked Rs3 million was a meagre amount as it did not account for the rate of inflation. He added the failure to make the payment was regrettable.
Some petitioners hailed from Lakki Marwat and their sons, who were personnel of the Frontier Constabulary, lost their lives in a blast outside Shabqadar Fort.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2015.
Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel ordered the formation of a larger bench to hear all petitions filed by doctors against the K-P Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act 2015. The order was issued after questions on the constitutional and fundamental rights of the medical community were raised during the hearing on Thursday.
A divisional bench of CJ Miankhel and Justice Younis Thaheem took up different petitions challenging the act and appointment of Nosherwan Barki as Lady Reading Hospital board of directors’ chairman. There were also petitions related to PTI chief Imran Khan’s alleged contempt of court.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Advocate General Abdul Latif Yousafzai told the bench the petitions raised questions about constitutional and fundamental rights and therefore a larger bench should be formed to hear the case.
Lawyers representing the petitioners supported the request and said they would not object. Accepting the plea, the chief justice ordered a larger bench to hear the vires of the act.
Earlier, the bench also extended the date of a contempt of court notice against Imran and asked him to submit a reply by December 2.
The advocate general informed the bench he was contacted by Imran and the cricketer-turned-politician requested for more time to submit a detailed reply.
The chief justice also enquired whether Yousafzai could appear on behalf of the head of a political party. The attorney general replied he was merely relaying a request to the bench and said Imran’s lawyer would appear before the court at the next hearing.
‘Mafia’
Advocate Khalid Mehmud, representing one of the petitioners, said politicians should avoid issuing statements to the media on sub judice matters.
The bench also ordered separate contempt of court petitions apart from the constitutional petitions against the PTI chairperson. Several complainants produced press clippings in which Khan compared the doctors to a mafia and used derogatory language against them.
The same bench has also ordered compensation should be paid within two months under the Shuhada package to families of personnel who have lost their lives in militancy-related incidents.
CJ Miankhel and Justice Taheem were hearing a contempt of court notice filed by Zarmina Bibi through her counsel Sardar Ali Raza against the failure to implement court orders.
The CJ remarked Rs3 million was a meagre amount as it did not account for the rate of inflation. He added the failure to make the payment was regrettable.
Some petitioners hailed from Lakki Marwat and their sons, who were personnel of the Frontier Constabulary, lost their lives in a blast outside Shabqadar Fort.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2015.