CASES AGAINST PTI LEADERSHIP.

LAHORE    -    The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday once again declined a plea to stop the joint investigation team (JIT), constituted by the Punjab government to probe 10 cases against Pakistan Tehreek-e-In­saf (PTI) leadership and workers, from work.

The bench also issued notices to the Punjab gov­ernment and sought a re­ply by Wednesday. The division bench compris­ing Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh and Justice Farooq Haider heard the petition filed by PTI leaders Mus­sarat Jamshed Cheema and others challenging the formation of the JIT. Dur­ing the proceedings, pro­vincial law officer Ghulam Sarwar Nihang submitted that the powers of approv­ing notification had been delegated to the additional chief secretary (Home). 

However, PTI leader Ad­vocate Fawad Chaudhry submitted that it appeared that no approval had been taken from the provincial cabinet for formation of the JIT. At this stage, the bench questioned wheth­er the cabinet could del­egate powers to additional chief secretary (Home). To which, Fawad Chaudhry pleaded with the bench to issue a stay order as the additional chief secretary did not appear himself.

However, the bench ob­served that why should it not decide once the law points about the appoint­ment of federal officers, working in the province. How another institution could probe if the police of­ficers were not part of JIT, it questioned. Subsequently, the bench adjourned fur­ther hearing till Wednesday and sought the notification about formation of the JIT, besides issuing notices to the Punjab government. The petitioners had chal­lenged the JIT constituted to investigate 10 cases regis­tered against PTI leadership and workers for allegedly attacking police and creat­ing law and order situation outside party chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence. It is pertinent to mention here that the bench had also declined a plea to stop the JIT from work on the previous hearing.