Tag: Lahore High Court

  • Supply of free flour for underprivileged cannot be questioned, says Lahore High Court

    Supply of free flour for underprivileged cannot be questioned, says Lahore High Court

    Lahore High Court has ruled that the government is responsible for providing free flour to those living below the poverty line and unable to purchase it themselves, and therefore the supply of free flour cannot be challenged in court. The court also stated that the supply of free flour under the government’s “Ramzan package” is a policy decision that cannot be interfered with by the court. This ruling came in response to a petition filed by a bar member challenging the government’s fixation of the wheat price at Rs3,900 per 40 kg.

    LHC dismissed the petition, stating that the government has the authority to fix prices and take necessary measures to cater to the needs of the people. The court also observed that the fixation of prices of commodities such as wheat by the government falls within the policy-making domain of the government and that this function must be performed keeping in mind various factors such as the availability of stocks and demand and supply.

    The court further noted that the government’s power to fix prices cannot be ordinarily interfered with by the court in its constitutional jurisdiction and that in the absence of any law or policy, the court cannot issue directions to respondents to provide flour or wheat to consumers at subsidised rates. The court also stated that the government’s purchase and sale of wheat, provision of wheat to flour mills, subsidised value, and framing of policy to provide flour at a particular rate or free of cost to deserving people of the society are all within the policy-making domain of the government.

    The court held that the government’s fixation of the wheat price was within its jurisdiction and powers, and that the government’s decision to fix the price was made after considering various factors, including regulating market forces. According to Brecorder, the court observed that the government’s power to fix prices cannot be challenged by petitioners who do not have access to the relevant data or the capability to determine various aspects of the price-fixing criteria.

    In conclusion, the court ruled that the government has the authority to fix the price of wheat and that the supply of free flour to those in need is a policy decision that cannot be challenged in court. The court also noted that the fixation of prices of commodities falls within the policy-making domain of the government and must be performed in consideration of various factors and that the court cannot interfere with the government’s power to fix prices in its constitutional jurisdiction.

  • Lahore High Court strikes down sedition law

    Lahore High Court strikes down sedition law

    Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday annulled Section 124-A, of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), dealing with sedition.

    The order of the court came on a set of petitions filed by citizens challenging sedition laws on grounds that the government used it against its opponents.

    It was stated in the petition that the Constitution of Pakistan gives every citizen the right to freedom of expression but still, Section 124-A is imposed for making speeches against the rulers.

    According to the petitioners, Section 124-A of sedition is being used for political purposes and should be struck down.

    What is Section 124-A of PPC?

    The law states: “Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Federal or Provincial Government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for life to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.”

  • Shor sharaba in Zaman Park: Aitzaz Ahsan’s sisters approach court to complain against Imran

    Shor sharaba in Zaman Park: Aitzaz Ahsan’s sisters approach court to complain against Imran

    Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan’s sisters have approached different forums to complain about “the disruption, road and traffic blockade and loud music at night time”, caused by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan outside his residence in Zaman Park which has affected his neighbours’ sleep, writes Umar Cheema for The News.

    “They started with Imran Khan. On February 14, Dr Shireen Zafarullah and Mrs Nasreen Khalid Chima wrote the first letter to him on February 14 to inform him about ‘huge and unacceptable intrusion into our privacy being caused by the show outside your home.’ Their father, Chaudhry Muhammad Ahsan, constructed the ancestral home in Zaman Park in 1933 well before Imran’s family was allotted the house in Zaman Park after the Partition. Ali, the son of Aitzaz Ahsan, also lives in that house besides the children of sisters of Aitzaz,” reads the article.

    The sisters complained about the constant noise from the loud music which lasts till 4am every night.

    Not getting any response, both sisters filed an application on March 8 against the illegal encroachment outside Imran Khan’s home. The application was addressed to Chief Secretary of Punjab, Inspector General of Police, Lahore Commissioner and SHO of Race Course Police Station. However, no action was taken by the Punjab government.

    Finally, they moved the Lahore High Court, which didn’t entertain the petition either. A one-member bench of Justice Asim Hafeez said they should locate a Justice of Peace to pursue this matter.

    The sisters have also written to the chief justices of the Supreme Court and Lahore High Court to take notice of the problems they are facing in Zaman Park.

  • NO suspension of arrest warrants, Islamabad court told Khan

    NO suspension of arrest warrants, Islamabad court told Khan

    An Islamabad court has rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s plea which sought suspension of non-bailable arrest warrants of Khan in the Toshakhana case.

    Additional District and Sessions Judge Zafar Iqbal on Thursday gave the verdict that the warrants could not be suspended on the basis of an undertaking.

    On Tuesday, the former ruling party moved Islamabad High Court (IHC) requesting it to suspend Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrants in the Toshakhana case, but the high court asked Khan to approach trial court.

    Currently, the situation at Khan’s Zaman Park residence is relatively calm following the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) orders of stopping the police operation till 10am today. But later, the court clarified that it has not stopped police from executing the arrest warrants and asked PTI to resolve the matter.

  • Lahore High Court extends halt on Zaman Park police operation till tomorrow

    Lahore High Court extends halt on Zaman Park police operation till tomorrow

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has extended the injunction on the police operation to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in Zaman Park till tomorrow.

    Yesterday, the court had ordered the police to stop the operation to arrest Imran Khan till 10 am today.

    At the hearing of the petition against the police operation at LHC today, the court said that on Thursday all parties should sit together and find a solution. Stating that we are being dishonored as a nation, the judge said, “Move your rally; for God’s sake, let people live their routine lives.”

    LHC also stopped PTI from holding a rally this Sunday at Iqbal Park (Minar-e-Pakistan) and asked the party to let citizens live their routine lives.

    The party was planning to hold a “historic” public rally at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan on March 19 and PTI Chairman Imran Khan was set to lead it — despite “security threats”.

    PTI workers clashed for nearly 24 hours with the law enforcers trying to get through the party supporters and arrest Khan.
  • Those who cut trees in Lahore should be jailed, says court

    Those who cut trees in Lahore should be jailed, says court

    The Lahore High Court (LHC), while hearing a petition seeking curbs to control smog in Lahore, barred Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) from cutting trees in Lahore and other parts of the province where smog is prevalent.

    Justice Shahid Karim also warned that those found cutting trees will be jailed.

    In the hearing which took place on Friday, a member of the judicial commission informed the court that WAPDA staff is cutting trees in Lahore and other parts of the province because of their transmission lines.

    Smog is dangerous for the lives of citizens in Lahore, the LHC judge remarked.

    Lahore is consistently featured among the top ten cities with the worst Air Quality Index (AQI).

    In December, some of Pakistan’s biggest cities were ranked among the most polluted in the world. Lahore, the capital of the province was ranked as the metropolis with the most polluted air thrice in one week.

  • ‘No connection’; Fawad denies alleged audio leak

    ‘No connection’; Fawad denies alleged audio leak

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has denied that the alleged audio leak of him discussing judges of the superior judiciary has anything to do with him.

    The audio conversation, allegedly between Fawad Chaudhry and his brother Faisal Chaudhary, surfaced online early Friday morning, with two voices discussing a meeting between senior judges.

    “Another fake audio has been thrown in the market in my name. I have no connection with this audio,” Chaudhary tweeted within hours of the conversation surfacing online.

    A voice, allegedly Fawad Chaudhry’s, tells his younger brother that a judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC) wants to meet a judge of the Supreme Court. The judge is the same who’s alleged audio conversation with Pervez Elahi surfaced online a few weeks ago. The voice also asks that four more sections are imposed on Ata Tarrar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

  • Asad Umar’s wife denies filing paperwork for husband’s release

    Asad Umar’s wife denies filing paperwork for husband’s release

    Asad Umar’s wife Sofia Asad has rejected reports of filing a petition seeking the release of her husband who volunteered for arrest three days ago under the party’s “Jail Bharo Tehreek” on the call of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan.

    Stating that Asad Umar is engaged in the struggle for the “real freedom of the nation”, Sofia Asad said that reports about the request for his bail or release were wrongly attributed to her.

    She also said that she supports her husband completely. However, she admitted to approaching the Lahore High Court (LHC) to get authentic information regarding Asad’s whereabouts.

    Earlier, it was reported that the PTI leader’s wife filed a petition in LHC for her husband’s recovery from “illegal and unlawful” custody of the Lahore police.

    On Saturday, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry claimed that, “35 PTI workers rejected the government’s offer of release, the leadership also refused to give requests for their release.”

    It is pertinent to mention here that the PTI leaders — including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Azam Swati, and other senior members— were taken into police custody from Lahore on Wednesday on the day the Jail Bharo Tehreek began.

    On Friday, Zulfi Bukhari and Fayaz ul Hassan Chohan were also arrested from Rawalpindi.

  • Court suspends National Assembly Speaker’s order to accept PTI MNAs’ resignations

    Court suspends National Assembly Speaker’s order to accept PTI MNAs’ resignations

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday suspended National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s order accepting the resignations of 43 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers last month, putting by-elections in these constituencies on hold.

    During the hearing today, PTI lawyer Ali Zafar contended that PTI MNAs had withdrawn their resignation before the NA speaker had accepted them.

    The former ruling party had filed a petition stating that PTI lawmakers had requested the speaker not to de-notify them, as they had withdrawn resignations but the speaker still went ahead and accepted their resignations “without following due process”.

    Pervez Ashraf ‘approves’ resignations of 43 more PTI MNAs

    Earlier, Ashraf approved the resignations of 43 lawmakers in the lower house.

    Reacting to the development, senior PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said the main reason to return to the assembly in small numbers was to remove Raja Riaz as the opposition leader because the legislature had “no importance”.

    “Right now, Shehbaz Sharif has lost the support of 172 members and is relying on lotas (turncoats) to save his government,” tweeted Fawad.

    He also pointed out that 40 per cent of seats in the NA were now empty. “The only solution to this crisis is elections.”

    NA speaker accepts resignations of 35 more PTI lawmakers

    Ashraf on Friday, January 20, accepted the resignations of 35 more PTI Members of Provincial Assembly (MNAs), days after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) de-notified 34 PTI MNAs after their resignations were accepted by Ashraf.

    PTI lawmakers had resigned en masse from the lower house of parliament following the ouster of PTI chief Imran Khan in April last year through a Vote of No Confidence.

    A total of 69 resignations were accepted this week after the PTI announced to return to the assembly and threatened to move a no-trust motion against the incumbent Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif.

    According to reports, President Arif Alvi had been all set to ask PM Shehbaz Sharif to take a vote of confidence from the lower house of the parliament.

    Raja Pervez Ashraf had previously accepted the resignations of only 11 MNAs in July last year.

    After ECP de-notified 35 PTI MNAs, the party’s senior leader Fawad Chaudhry announced that party Chairman Imran Khan himself will contest on all 33 National Assembly constituencies.

    This is not the first time that such an announcement has been made.

    Last year, in October, Khan announced that he would contest on seven seats of the national assembly. At the time, he lost from only one seat and won the remaining six.

  • CM Elahi will take confidence vote before Jan 11: Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry has announced that Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, will get a vote of confidence from the provincial assembly before January 11.

    Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan has already summoned a session of the assembly on Jan 11.

    In a press conference on Saturday, Fawad Chaudhry claimed that the coalition government in Punjab has the support of 187 lawmakers.

    He added that Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the party’s senior leadership on Saturday where it was decided that the vote of confidence would take place at the earliest.

    Earlier in the week, the Lahore High Court had reinstated Elahi as the chief minister and also issued notices to all parties involved in the case, summoning them to appear before the bench on January 11.

    The court suspended Punjab Governor Muhammad Baligur Rehman’s order till the next hearing (Jan 11) and also did not make it compulsory for the CM to take a vote of confidence on his orders.

    In a meeting on Saturday, PTI chief Imran Khan predicted that the next general elections would be held in March or April.

    On Friday, CM Elahi said that the Punjab Assembly would be dissolved in line with Khan’s directives. His statement came moments after he assured the high court that he would not dissolve the legislative.