LAHORE -  Justice Ayesha A Malik of the Lahore High Court on Tuesday observed that courts should refrain from interfering in the policymaking domain of the executive.

Hearing a petition challenging the condition of B-Form for students who want to appear in the 9th class examination, Justice Malik observed that it was up to the board of intermediate and secondary education to decide whether it wants to set the condition of B-Form or birth certificate for the students taking part in board-administered 9th class examination.

Advocate Sheraz Zaka had moved the petition, challenging the condition of B-Form for the 9th class students. He said there was no such requirement for 5th and 8th class students.

Hearing of plea against Nawaz Sharif today

The Lahore High Court will take up contempt petition against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif, ministers Talal Chaudhry and Danyal Aziz for alleged anti-judiciary speeches.

Justice Shahid Karim will hear the matter moved by Amna Malik, a member of civil society network.  She had alleged that the respondents were continuously attacking the judges of Supreme Court through their speeches and Nawaz Sharif as well as other leadership of PML-N were also trying to discredit the apex judiciary.

PEMRA had also been remaining very dormant in case of Nawaz Sharif and his kitchen cabinet, she said. The petitioner asked the court that the licences of channels that broadcast hate material, hate speeches, derogatory remarks against state institutions like judiciary may kindly be suspended in the best interest of the country.

 She also asked the court that a direction be issued to PEMRA for issuance of notifications to all the news channels that hate speeches and derogatory remarks against the institutions of the country may not be on aired or broadcast, in the larger interest of the nation and sovereignty of the country.

LHC stops SECP from harassing PTI leader

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday stopped Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) from extending any harassment to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf for owning house societies.

Justice Ayesha A Malik passed the order on petition moved by PTI leader Aleem Khan and issued notices to the respondents including NAB, FIA and LDA. The judge, however, did not suspend inquiry proceedings initiated by the commission against the petitioner and referred the matter to another bench which already was hearing the similar petitions moved by different housing schemes.

 Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan had issued Aleem Khan notices for owning housing schemes including Parkview Villas.

Appearing before the court, Aleem Khan’s counsel said that they had provided complete record of the petitioner’s housing societies to all the concerned departments including National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency and Lahore Development Authority. He submitted that apex court had ordered the SECP to carry out forensic audit of all housing societies while hearing a case.

His counsel said that the petitioner provided complete record of his lawful housing schemes to the SECP but even he was issued notices. He alleged that the SECP harassed his client on one pretext or the other and started an inquiry against him as a vindictive action.

He asked the court to restrain the commission from carrying out any inquiry against the petitioner and harassing him.