LAHORE A full bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday issued notice for May 27 to President Asif Ali Zardari on three Constitutional petitions, challenging holding simultaneously of two offices by him as President as well PPP Co-Chairman. The petitions against Zardaris dual offices were filed by AK Dogar of the Pakistan Lawyers Forum, Advocate Asif Mehmood and Engineer Ghulam Jilani, chief of Awami Peoples Party. The bench, comprising Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Justice Ch Iftikhar Hussain, Justice Sh Azmat Saeed, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman, issued the notice to President Asif Ali Zardari. On the last date of hearing, the bench had resented absence of Attorney General of Pakistan and failure of Federation to file reply despite courts repeated notices. The Bench observed that the compliance with the notice would be made through Personal Secretary to President of Pakistan as, for President himself there may be some security constraints regarding compliance with the notice. On Monday, Deputy Attorney General Tanvir Hashmi filed a reply on behalf of the Federation of Pakistan as the bench had earlier required it to reply on Presidents dual office. Tanvir Hashmi submitted that notices should be issued to other respondents also in the petitions including President Zardari. The Attorney said that it was a law point and a legal requirement in any case that notices should be issued to all respondents and in this case Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari despite being respondents had not been issued notices yet. He insisted that notices should be issued to them so that the matter could be proceeded further. However, petitioner counsel AK Dogar opposed issuance of notice to President on the plea that President was part of the Federation, and the notices have been issued to it. He pleaded for taking up the proceedings without wasting time. However, after hearing arguments the bench issued notices to President of Pakistan, asking him to explain as to why he was holding two offices at a time in violation of the Constitution. The petitioner counsel AK Dogar also pointed out that government was a bit reluctant in submitting its reply on the matter concerning Zardari. Petitioners submitted that President Zardari was continuously holding the office of Co-Chairman PPP alongwith the office of the President of Pakistan, which was a violation of Article 41 (1) of the Constitution. He said President being Head of the State cannot hold an office of a political party. The petitioners said the apex court had laid down the principle that the President was required to maintain a neutral image. The petitioners said President was doing party politics sitting in the Presidency, which was unlawful and unconstitutional on his part as President of the country. The petitioners pleaded for directing President Zardari to surrender the PPP Co-Chairman office.