Govt reply sought on loadshedding in Ramazan

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court sought replies from the federal government and others on a petition challenging loadshedding in Ramazan. Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh of the LHC was hearing the matter moved by a local citizen.

Advocate Azhar Siddique, the petitioner’s counsel, said the government promised to end the loadshedding but it was still continuing, causing damage to every part of society.

The water in the dams had already been utilised due to which the tripping was happening in every hour, he said. He said the shortfall was increasing fast and no real steps were taken to control the loadshedding.

The electricity distributing companies and Wapda had continuously been violating the court orders and loadshedding was out of control. After hearing arguments of the petitioner’s counsel, Justice Sheikh issued notice to the respondents and sought reply by June 12.

In a separate petition against price hike in Ramazan, the LHC sought reply from the Punjab government. This petition was also moved by Judicial Activism Panel. parliament: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought more arguments on maintainability of a petition seeking directives for the government to get the parliament declared as the most powerful institution of the country.

Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh was hearing the petition moved by Foundation for Justice. Advocate AK Dogar argued that the state uses its power through the elected representatives of people. He said across the board accountability was required for the development of the country but it is violation of Article 25 of the Constitution by not carrying out accountability across the board.

The petitioner had also questioned the formation of Supreme Judicial Council, saying nobody could be judged of its own accountability. Therefore, he pleaded the court to declare the parliament the most powerful institution. Justice Sheikh sought more arguments on the petition and adjourned the hearing until Sept 18.

AGP appointment: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Punjab government on a petition against Asma Hamid challenging her appointment as Advocate General Punjab (AGP).

A division bench headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din took up the petition moved by Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree. The court adjourned the hearing until June 5. The lawyer-petitioner had said that Asma Hamid was appointed as principal law officer of Punjab in violation of merit.

He alleged that she was appointed on political basis and many senior law officers were ignored to fill the post. The lawyer pointed out that there was no mechanism to fill the constitutional post of Advocate General Punjab. He asked the court to set aside the appointment of Asma Hamid as AGP for being on political grounds.

On other hand, the Punjab government had issued notification of Asma’s appointment as AGP. She is the first woman who has been appointed as the principal law officer of the province after Shakilur Rehman Khan resigned from the office on Saturday evening because of ending constitutional term of the provincial government on May 31.

The convention is that every interim government appoints AGP of its own choice, perhaps, it was the reason that Shakil-ur-Rehman Khan resigned as Advocate General Punjab on Saturday and called on the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in a farewell gathering held at Model Town office on Monday evening.

Asma was appointed as assistant AG in January 2014 and later elevated as additional AG on Feb 18, 2015. She got an LLB degree from the University of Punjab and an LLM in Constitutional Law from Harvard Law School, USA. She was born on May 21, 1973 and just eight days ago on May 21 she turned 45—the prescribed age limit to hold the post of Advocate General Punjab.