LAHORE  -  The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday disposed of a petition challenging an amendment to accountability law through a presidential ordinance, which allowed the extension of the remand period from 14 days to 40 days, after declaring it infructuous. Justice Shujaat Ali Khan announced the reserved verdict on a petition filed by a citizen, Munir Ahmad. The court had reserved its verdict after the completion of arguments by the parties a day earlier.

In his final arguments, Additional Attorney General Nasr Ahmad submitted that the petition had become ineffective as the impugned ordinance had expired. He argued that no further proceedings were required in the matter.

However, the petitioner’s counsel contended that the court should decide whether the conditions set under Article 89 of the Constitution were fulfilled prior to the promulgation of the ordinance. He further argued that while the parliament could legislate on the subject, it should not be person-specific. In response, the Additional Attorney General submitted that no interference was required in the matter as the ordinance had expired and was no longer in effect, adding that the court could only take notice of ongoing issues.

The law officer further argued that the petitioner was not an aggrieved person and that the grievance raised by the petitioner was not justified, while urging the court to dismiss the petition. It is pertinent to mention that Acting President Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani singed the National Accountability  (Amendment) Ordinance 2024 in May, 2024.