Tag: Lahore High Court

  • LHC sends notification to Punjab Govt to submit reply on ‘Joyland’ ban

    In response to a petition challenging a ban on the screening of the movie Joyland in the province, the Lahore High Court on Wednesday sent notices to the Punjab government and the film censor board.

    The petition was filed by the Distribution Club (Pvt.) Limited and film’s co-producer Sana Zahra while advocate Usama Khawar is representing the petition.

    Khawar claimed that both the national and provincial film censor boards had initially given the movie the go-ahead for nationwide release in Pakistan in August 2022.

    He said that the challenged prohibition order was a prime example of a non-speaking order because the respondent provincial government did not apply any thought or reasoning to it, and no justifications were given.

    Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir heard the arguments made by the attorney before sending notifications to the respondent requesting that they submit their responses by December 13.

  • Maryam Nawaz gets her passport back after three years

    Maryam Nawaz gets her passport back after three years

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz received her passport on Monday after Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered that the passport be returned to her.

    She had surrendered her passport three years ago in order to get bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills money laundering case.

    “Alhamdulillah, my passport has been returned”, Maryam said in a tweet.

    “Due to the fear of my jalsas (rallies), fitna kept me in NAB for three months and in death cell in Kot Lakhpat Jail for investigation, but the case has not been filed to date”, she added.

    A three-member bench of the LHC, headed by Chief Justice (CJ) Muhammad Ameer Bhatti and comprising Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard the case on Monday (today). During the proceedings, Maryam’s counsel Muhammad Amjad Pervaiz argued that his client had been granted bail after she surrendered her passport in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills money laundering case but that despite the passage of a span of four years, no reference had been filed against her.

    Maryam, through her counsel, moved the fresh petition, arguing that in 2019, NAB had forced her to surrender her passport in this case, fearing that she would flee the country.

    Pervaiz also informed the court that the conviction in the Avenfield case could have caused difficulty in the return of her passport, but that the case has been closed.

    During the hearing, the federal government said that they have no objection to the plea. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor also said that his organisation has no objection to it. He added that they did not know whether the case came under their jurisdiction or not after the new amendments to NAB’s law.

    Last month, Maryam approached the court to get her passport released. She stated that she was unable to exercise her fundamental rights for the last four years despite the absence of any charge sheet or trial, as she had surrendered her passport in accordance with the court’s order when she was arrested in 2019.

    The case:

    As per details of Chaudhry Sugar Mill’s money-laundering investigation, NAB in January 2018 received a Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) report describing suspicious transactions of billions of rupees under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

    After receiving the FMU report, NAB started an inquiry in October 2018 and found that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, the incumbent PM Shehbaz Sharif, Abbas Sharif and family were shareholders in the company, along with foreigners from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Kingdom (UK).

    A probe revealed that investments in Chaudhry Sugar Mills from 2001 to 2017 worth billions of rupees were made under the guise of issuing shares for foreigners.

    Interestingly, later on, the same shares of the company were transferred back to Maryam, Hussain, and Nawaz Sharif on various occasions without any money paid to the said foreign business partners.

  • Will Punjab select its new CM today?

    Will Punjab select its new CM today?

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) moved the Supreme Court (SC) to challenge Lahore High Court’s verdict to recount the votes cast in the Punjab Chief Minister (CM) elections excluding the votes that were cast by 25 dissident PTI lawmakers.

    The SC accepted PTI’s plea for an immediate hearing earlier in the day and formed a three-member bench. The hearing is currently underway by the bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial.

    During the hearing, PTI’s lawyer Babar Awan requested to wait for seven days for the election process. To this, the court questioned, “Do you want Punjab to remain without a Chief Minister for seven days?”

    Moreover, the apex court has directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to send notice to five reserved seats. As in the petition, PTI pointed out that lawmakers on five reserved seats in the Punjab Assembly had still not been notified in accordance with the LHC’s earlier directives.

    PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry announced the development on his Twitter handle. He said, “An appeal has been filed in the SC against the decision of the LHC. It is hoped that the SC will hold a hearing today in view of this crisis and the session of the Punjab Assembly will be adjourned.”

    The petitioners urged the court to remove Hamza as CM and requested to issue directives for holding a “free and fair” election for the post of the province’s chief executive. Moreover, they requested the court to suspend the election process till the pendency of their petition.

    In the petition, the party also said that some of their Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) are currently not in Pakistan as they have gone to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj. The party also argued that many PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) members are busy with political campaign in their constituencies for the upcoming by-elections in Punjab.

    The magic number required to show the majority is 186. According to the verdict of the LHC, after recounting the votes today (Friday), the tally of the incumbent CM Hamza Shehbaz will come down to 172 votes after the exclusion of 25 votes of PTI dissident MPAs. The session will take place today at 4pm as per the LHC order.

    ‘Going to Supreme Court over LHC decision on Punjab CM polls’: Imran Khan

    On Thursday, LHC accepted the appeals of PTI filed against the election of CM Hamza and ordered a recount of votes with the exclusion of the 25 defecting party members who voted for him.

    A five-member larger bench of the LHC headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan announced the verdict.

    After the verdict, Former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan said that the party would be going to the apex court tomorrow (Friday) and challenge the verdict.

    Verdict:

    As per the verdict, the votes will be recounted and the candidate securing a majority of votes will be declared the chief minister of Punjab.

    Article 130(4) of the Constitution of Pakistan governs the election of chief ministers, under which there is an obligation of a majority of 186 votes.

    Hamza will no longer be the chief minister if he doesn’t retain the required majority after the exclusion of 25 votes, while the second round of polls will be held as per Article 130(4) in case no one gets the majority after a recount.

    Reactions:

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Attaullah Tarar said that the PML-N is happy and content because it has the required numbers. He said that the PML-N has 177 votes, which means a majority of nine votes even if the dissidents’ votes are not counted.

    “The court neither nullified the previous elections nor ordered fresh elections,” Tarar said.

    The politician said that PTI is unable to understand what the verdict states “in English”.

    Meanwhile, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry tweeted, “The decision of the High Court has further aggravated the political crisis in Punjab. There are many flaws in this decision.”

    Hamza Shehbaz was elected CM Punjab on April 16 with 197 votes, while PTI and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) candidate Pervaiz Elahi received no votes.

  • Lahore High Court considering holding Punjab CM elections again

    Lahore High Court considering holding Punjab CM elections again

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) is considering the polls for the Punjab chief minister’s (CM) slot again, the court remarked on Tuesday while hearing the case challenging CM Hamza Shehbaz’s election, reports Geo News.

    The court while hearing the arguments from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) counsel asked how a political crisis would be avoided if matters are taken back to the Punjab Assembly session on April 16 and polls are held again.

    “In this case, the same presiding officer will hold the polls who was on duty during the April 16 polling,” the court said.

    The court adjourned the hearing till 10am on June 29.

    Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in his plea challenging Hamza’s election maintained that Hamza does not have the number of votes required to be elected as the chief minister in light of the Supreme Court’s order.

    Hamza was elected as chief minister of Punjab in a session of the Punjab Assembly in complete ruckus on April 16, 2022.

  • Former CJP advices Imran not to ‘criticise judiciary’

    Former CJP advices Imran not to ‘criticise judiciary’

    Former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar met Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and advised him not to criticise the judiciary.

    The meeting took place at the latter’s Lahore residence in Zaman Park on Wednesday wherein they deliberated the judiciary’s role vis-à-vis the ongoing political crisis and constitutional matters among other issues.

    According to media reports, the PTI chief had invited former CJP Saqib Nisar to his Zaman Park residence with the aim to `consult’ legal experts on various prevailing constitutional as well political issues.

    The PTI chief discussed with the former CJP legalities regarding oath-taking by the Punjab chief minister-elect since the Lahore High Court had advised the governor to administer oath on Thursday (today).

    Talking to ARY News following the meeting, Justice (r) Saqib Nisar lauded the country’s judiciary for doing “great work”.

    He said he advised the former prime minister to not criticise the judiciary. He said he also discussed with Khan the constitutional crisis in Punjab, as well as the issue of the oath-taking of the newly elected Punjab chief minister.

    Earlier, addressing PTI workers’ convention in Lahore on Wednesday, Imran Khan said that his party will observe Ramadan 27 (a possible Shab-e-Qadr) as “Shab-e-Dua” (Night of Prayers) and urged all Pakistanis to join PTI’s Shab-e-Dua for the “real freedom of Pakistan”.

    He also asked party representatives to launch a public campaign at UC level in their constituencies for preparations regarding the party’s Islamabad march. “I want two million people to reach Islamabad on my call,” he added.

  • Permission to perform Umrah: LHC seeks NAB reply on Maryam Nawaz’s plea

    Permission to perform Umrah: LHC seeks NAB reply on Maryam Nawaz’s plea

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought reply from National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday (tomorrow) on a plea from Maryam Nawaz, seeking permission to travel abroad for performing Umrah.

    According to ARY News, Justice Baqar Najafi, heading the LHC division bench, asked as to in which case name of Maryam Nawaz was added to no-fly list.

    To this, the NAB prosecutor said that her name was added to no-fly list after the LHC approved her bail plea. An appeal was filed against the bail plea, however, it has yet to be fixed for hearing, he said, adding NAB has filed petition to cancel bail of Maryam Nawaz.

    Marium on April 21, filed a plea before the Lahore High Court (LHC) so that she can travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah in Ramzan. She has also said that she wants to travel to London to visit her ailing father, Mian Nawaz Sharif.

    “I want to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah but cannot because my passport is surrendered at the LHC,” reads the plea.

    Maryam Nawaz said in her plea that she was arrested by NAB in 2019 in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case and later the LHC approved her bail plea and in return, she submitted her passport to the court.

    The division bench of the LHC comprising Justice Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Justice Anwar-ul-Haq rescued themselves from the proceedings of the plea hearing today and asked Chief Justice LHC to fix the hearing before the bench that previously heard the matter, reports ARY News.

    “The bench that granted bail to the petitioner should listen to the case,” the bench remarked after Advocate Ahsan Bhoon pleaded the case on behalf of Maryam Nawaz.

  • ‘We are inching towards Civil unrest’: Fawad Ch on Punjab Assembly clash

    ‘We are inching towards Civil unrest’: Fawad Ch on Punjab Assembly clash

    Former Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry took to his Twitter account to comment on the manhandling of Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammad Mazari by Assembly members belonging to PTI, earlier today (Saturday).

    “We are inching towards a full-fledged Civil unrest, Imran Khan has exercised utmost restraint even he won’t be able to stop this very angry mob and we’ll see the country plunging into civil unrest, imported leaders will not be able to leave the country,” he wrote in the tweet.

    Mazari was roughed up by PTI legislators carrying lotas (round water containers) before being brought back to his chamber in protective custody by the assembly’s security team. Mazari was said to have suffered minor injuries as a result of the assault by the PTI MPAs.

    On Friday, a division bench of the Lahore High Court dismissed a petition filed by a PML-Q politician and ordered Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari to hold a transparent and impartial election for the new Chief Minister of Punjab on April 16 (saturday).

  • Zardari ‘smiled’ when PML-Q asked for his help to make Pervaiz Elahi Chief Minister: Chaudhry Shujaat’s son

    Zardari ‘smiled’ when PML-Q asked for his help to make Pervaiz Elahi Chief Minister: Chaudhry Shujaat’s son

    Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has once again approached former President Asif Ali Zardari for the Punjab chief ministership, reports Geo News.

    PML-Q leader Tariq Bashir Cheema and Chaudhry Shujaat’s son Chaudhry Salik Hussain met Asif Ali Zardari and conveyed Chaudhry Shujaat’s message to the former president. Both Cheema and Salik requested Zardari to support Pervez Elahi for the post of Chief Minister Punjab.

    Zardari, after hearing this request, smiled and did not respond.

    Meanwhile, PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz have been advised by the Lahore High Court (LHC) to decide a date for the chief minister’s election peacefully instead of “creating a scene”, reports Geo News.

    LHC Chief Justice Ameer Bhatti while hearing the case against the delay in the CM election asked the lawyers of all the parties of the case to gather at the Punjab advocate-general’s office and settle the date for the CM election. It has been advised that the parties reach the date through mutual consultation and understanding.

    “Don’t create a scene. Remember we are all residents of this country. Solve the problem at home, together,” the LHC CJ remarked.

    Punjab Assembly Secretary Muhammad Khan Bhatti informed the court that the lawmakers belonging to the PML-N had allegedly ransacked the furniture of the House during the session on April 3. The furniture is now being replaced.

    “As a result of the ruckus, the session was adjourned until April 16,” he said.

    Earlier, through an official notification, Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari himself postponed on Tuesday the session of the Punjab Assembly till April 16. It has also been reproted that Mazari’s powers have been restored by the LHC.

  • Hamza Shehbaz moves High Court for new Punjab CM’s election

    Hamza Shehbaz moves High Court for new Punjab CM’s election

    Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz moved Lahore High Court (LHC) to seek the court’s help for the in-house election of a new Chief Minister (CM) Punjab after the resignation of Usman Buzdar.

    The petition said the nomination papers of Hamza and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Pervaiz Elahi were submitted for the CM’s seat and later a session of the assembly was convened for voting on April 3 but it was adjourned.

    Consequently, the Deputy Speaker of Punjab Assembly Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari directed to hold the session on April 6 at 07:30 pm but the assembly premises were sealed. Hamza requested the court to ensure that there is no interference in the house.

    During the hearing, chaired by LHC Chief Justice (CJ) Amir Bhatti, Hamza’s counsel Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said the Punjab advocate general had assured the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) on April 5 that the session would be held the next day i.e. April 6th. At this, the CJ summoned the Punjab advocate general only to know that he is in Islamabad.

    CJ Bhatti decided to issue notices to all respondents including; Elahi, Mazari, the Punjab chief secretary, and the provincial police chief for Monday (April 11) and adjourned the hearing.

    On April 6th, Mazari summoned a crucial session of the assembly for the election of new CM Punjab. However, the PML-Q submitted a no-confidence motion against the deputy speaker.

    After the Punjab Assembly was sealed off with barbed wires and the building’s main gate was locked while the Opposition lawmakers, led by the PML-N, held a session of their own at a private hotel, with PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz claiming that Hamza Shehbaz has been “elected” as the Punjab CM.

    In the Punjab Assembly, the govt has 183 lawmakers, PML-Q 10, PML-N 165, PPP seven, five are independent and one belongs to Rah-i-Haq party.

  • LHC dismisses petition seeking ban on PUBG

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed a plea regarding banning the popular online mobile game PUBG on Monday.

    A resident of Lahore, Tanveer Sarwar, approached the LHC and filed a plea to ban the online mobile game after a violent murder in Lahore.

    The petitioner had to appear on the day of the hearing, however, he did not reach the court.

    As a result, the LHC discharged the application over the petitioner’s discontinuation of the case’s pursuit.

    The petitioner claimed in the application that PUBG is creating intolerance in society and causing detrimental effects on young minds.

    Last month, 18-year-old Ali Zain killed four members of his family in Lahore. An investigator found that the teenager was “addicted” to the online game PUBG.

    According to the murderer, he went to sleep after the murder with a sense of accomplishment. The bodies of his four family members were discovered on January 19.

    The Punjab Police had decided to request the federal and provincial governments to ban PUBG after this incident.

    On July 1, 2021, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) temporarily suspended PUBG in the country after it received multiple complaints from different segments of society. However, the ban was lifted later.