Shahzad ahmed
LAHORE - Lahore High Court Chief Justice Anwaarul Haq has taken strict action against the delay in disposal of applications for the grant of succession certificates by the civil courts.
The LHC chief justice has observed that such applications remain pending for long period of time even after completion of proceedings.
Bushra zaman, the Director General of Directorate of District-Judiciary, Lahore High Court, has sent a letter addressed to all the district & sessions judges in Punjab to ensure decision in such petitions within a week.
The letter states, “With reference to the subject cited above, I have been directed to state that while entertaining the applications for expeditious disposal of cases, it has been observed that applications for grant of succession certificates remain pending for long period of time, even after completion of the proceedings in such petitions.”
The chief justice directed all the courts dealing with applications for issuance of succession certificate to decide such petitions within a week, soon after completion of evidence. He further directed the district judges to ensure strict compliance of the direction and impart necessary emphasis in monthly meetings with the judicial officers.
Court seeks arguments in case against Meesha
A sessions court on Thursday directed the counsels of musician and actor Meesha Shafi and her fellow artist Ali Zafar to advance arguments on the next date of hearing in a defamation case filed by the latter.
Ali Zafar has filed the defamation case against Meesha Shafi. In a statement on Twitter on April 19, Shafi wrote, “I have been subjected, on more than one occasion, to sexual harassment of a physical nature at the hands of a colleague from my industry: Ali Zafar […] It has been an extremely traumatic experience for me and my family […] I feel betrayed by his behaviour and attitude and I know that I’m not alone.” Shortly after, Zafar had denied the allegations in a statement and sent a legal notice to Shafi, demanding that Shafi delete the tweet accusing him of harassment and issue an apology on Twitter. Zafar then filed a defamation case against Shafi for damages worth Rs1 billion.