LAHORE - The Lahore High Court on Tuesday recorded statements of three witnesses against six accused associated with the ruling PML-N, including MNA Waseem Akhtar and MPA Naeem Safdar, in a contempt case against them for taking out a rally against the judiciary and swearing at judges of the superior courts. 

A full bench led by Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi was hearing the petition moved by Kasur Bar Association President Mirza Naseem against parliamentarians of the ruling party and others for taking out a rally in Kasur.

Kasur DPO Zahid Marwat and two other witnesses recorded their statements to the bench. Additional Advocate General Shan Gull, the prosecutor appointed by the court, also got statement recorded. After recording statements of witnesses, the court directed the accused to record their statements at the hearing. Accused Nasir Khan and Jameel Khan have already tendered unconditional apology to the court. The court adjourned the proceedings until June 1.

Kasur police registered a case against over 80 persons out of which six were identified as members of the ruling PML-N. The police booked them under Sections 166, 506, 341, 228 109, 147 and 149 of the PPC.

Kasur District Bar Association President Mirza Naseem had moved the petition submitting that the protest in Kasur was a planned conspiracy against the institution of judiciary. He alleged that the rally was led by PML-N MNA Waseem Sajjad and MPA Safdar Ansari. Some local leaders of unions also accompanied them.

The bar leader said that by doing so the protesters committed contempt of court and therefore they must be punished. He prayed to the court to declare the parliamentarians disqualified and proceed against them in accordance with the law.  The same bench had been hearing petitions against alleged anti-judiciary speeches by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other leaders of the PML-N.

The bench was also seized with hearing of petitions against MQM London chief for his anti-state speeches. In a separate case involving Model Town killings, the LHC put off further proceedings until third week of June.

A full bench headed by Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan adjourned the hearing because he had to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umra.

Taking up the matter of Paragon City Executive Director Ali Sajjad Bhutta, the LHC extended till June 11 his interim bail in the case.  The petitioner said that he served as GM (finance) with Paragon City in 2006 and worked with CASA developers for six months but now the NAB had started inquiry against him without any reason. He asked the court that the NAB authorities be directed not to arrest him.

LHC dismisses plea against

PP-157, PP-161 delimitation

The Lahore High Court Tuesday dismissed a petition against delimitation of PP-157 and PP-161 constituencies in Lahore.

Justice Shahid Karim passed the order that the petition was not maintainable under Article 199 of the Constitution. The judge observed that the matter pertained to factual controversy and the court had no jurisdiction to decide such issues.

This is the third petition, which has been dismissed by the court. Earlier, petitions moved by Punjab Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and opposition leader Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed were dismissed.

The petition could not establish violation of Election Act 2017 by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the judge observed.

Shoaib Siddique had said the ECP did delimitation of two constituencies on April 20 in violation of election laws.