LHC annuls dozens of UCs delimitation

LAHORE
The Lahore High Court on Wednesday annulled delimitation of dozens of union councils of Lahore for upcoming local government election done by District Election Commissioner, Punjab.
Allowing a number of petitions filed by registered voters of different union councils of the city, the court directed the district election commissioner to hear the petitioners afresh and decide the disputes regarding the delimitation on merit.
The petitioners had stated that the respondent held delimitation of their UCs without hearing their complaints.
The court cancelled the delimitation and asked the respondent to do it afresh after affording an ample opportunity of personal hearing to the petitioners.
Larger bench: Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday requested the Chief Justice to constitute a larger bench to hear petitions challenging indirect election on seats reserved for women, youth, non-Muslims and others in upcoming local government election.
Pakistan Awami Tehreek and others challenged the law saying that it curtailed rights of the public at large especially their right to democratic and efficient governance.
They pleaded that indirect election (selection) would pave the way for corruption as elected members were likely to be purchased as means of commodity. They said denial of direct representation was equally negation of Article 25 of the Constitution, which prohibited discrimination.
The petitioners prayed to the court to strike down sections 2, 4 and 8 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance for being ultra vires to the Constitution.
Qasim Zia: A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued notice to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on bail petition of PPP’s senior leader Qasim Zia facing charges of fraud.
Earlier, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar argued on behalf of the petitioner and said Mr Zia had left the company “Ali Usman Brokerage” seven years before it committed the alleged fraud. He said the NAB officials kept his client in custody for 16 days but failed to establish his involvement in the scam. He said the case was a result of mere political victimisation. He asked the court to release his client on bail.
The bench headed by Justice Tariq Abbasi heard the arguments and sought reply from the bureau within two weeks.
SHO: An Additional District and Sessions Court on Wednesday sought comments from the SHO Ravi Road in a petition seeking a case against police officials for allegedly implicating petitioner’s son in false cases.
Muhammad Ashiq submitted to the court through his petition that accused DSP Abid Pehalwan, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, including Ilyas Bhatti and Waqas Bhatti were constantly forcing him and his son to withdraw complaints they had filed before police high-ups against them. He contended that the officials had taken Rs500,000 as bribe in a case from them and had returned back Rs300,000 while the rest amount they had to pay yet but they were not returning.
He implored that when he asked about the rest of the amount the officials threatened to implicate his son Asif in forged cases if complaints were not withdrawn against them. He requested the court to direct the SHO concerned to register a case against the officials for threatening them and conducting illegal raids at their house for forcing them to withdraw complaints. The court after hearing the complaint of petitioner has sought comments from the SHO concerned.