AG’s help sought in party-based polls case

LAHORE
Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Attorney General for Pakistan to assist the court on petitions seeking directions for new delimitation and party-based polls in Cantonment areas.
The Judge held that from April 3 the proceedings would be held on day-to-day basis. On Thursday, the court was informed that both issues were pending before the Supreme Court.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Lahore Cantonment President Awais Younas stated in his petition the Election Commission of Pakistan, on the Supreme Court order, announced local government (LG) polls for 42 cantonments areas in the country. He submitted that the LG election scheduled for April 25 was announced and it was also decided that LG election would be held on non-party basis.
He said holding of non-party based election was a violation of Article 17 of the Constitution and an order passed by the Lahore High Court in 2013. He submitted that the Constitution had given a right to every citizen to precipitate in political activities and affiliate itself with any political party.
He also submitted that the LHC had also directed the provincial government to hold the LG polls on party basis.
On another petition, the counsel submitted that the cantonment board had not held new delimitation for the upcoming local government polls. He said holding of polls without new delimitation was a violation of the Constitution, as it would deprive many residents of the area from their right to vote.
He requested the court to direct the ECP to hold the LG polls in cantonment areas on party basis. He also requested the court to stay the election process till fresh process of delimitation by the cantonment boards.
Lakhvi: A single bench of the Lahore High Court on Thursday directed the Punjab Home secretary to decide representation of Jamaatud Dawa leader Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in five days.
The court issued the order while disposing of a petition moved by Lakhvi seeking directives to the Home secretary to decide his representation.
The LHC on March 20 dismissed his petition challenging his detention, directing him to approach the Home secretary first.
Appearing before the court, counsel for Lakhvi submitted that they approached the Home secretary but he was using delaying tactics.
signal-free corridor: The Lahore High Court on Thursday granted more time to the Punjab government to file a reply on different petitions challenging construction of signal-free corridor from Qartaba Chowk to Liberty Chowk in Gulberg and composition of Lahore Development Authority.
The LHC full bench, while taking up the petitions, ordered the Registrar’s Office to club all petitions of similar nature.
As hearing started on Thursday, the advocate general for Punjab sought time for filing a reply and the bench adjourned the hearing.
On February 28, the court had stopped the government from hewing trees to complete its project.
Saad Amir, on behalf of the petitioner Fahad Malik, submitted that the project is in violation of several basic human rights other than causing threat to environment. He said they are going to remove the green belts from both sides of the road on Main Boulevard, Gulberg, for the project. He said countless trees along the road would be hewed for the project.