LHC hears AG on govt plea to submit sensitive documents

Orange Line case

LAHORE

A division bench of the Lahore High Court headed by Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh on Tuesday heard the arguments of Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf and Advocate General Punjab on an application filed by the federal government seeking permission to submit sensitive documents on Orange line project in the court’s chamber rather than in open court.

The bench asked Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf and Advocate General Punjab Shakilur Rehman to come to their chamber and heard their plea. They were called to the chamber around 3pm and after 30 minutes,  the attorney general came out of the retiring room of the judges and went out of the courtroom. Later, the bench held proceedings in open court and heard the arguments of LDA’s counsel advocate Shahid Hamid.

As the hearing commenced, the head of the bench asked the petitioner's counsel how it was published in newspaper that the court had dismissed the plea of the federal government. The court said it heard the application of the federal government and it had not been dismissed yet. The court adjourned further hearing till tomorrow.

On January 28, the bench had stayed construction of the project at eleven monuments of the provincial metropolis on several petitions. The places where the work were stopped include Chauburji, GPO building, SC registry building, Shalamar Gardens, Buddhu ka Awa and Dai Anga Tomb.

Offshore accounts:  A lawyer of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf  on Tuesday moved an application before the Lahore High Court on Tuesday requesting the court to constitute a larger bench to hear petitions filed against Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for his alleged involvement in establishing offshore companies and concealing facts from the public.

The lawyers of PTI, Pakistan Awam-i-Tehreek and others had filed petitions. Petitioners requested the court to initiate proceedings against PM Nawaz Sharif, his two sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz, daughter Maryam Nawaz, former Interior Minister Rehman Malik, the Election Commission of Pakistan, NAB and FIA as respondents.

stays: The Lahore High Court Tuesday stayed a contract for hardware supply awarded to a Turkish firm by National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) and directed the company’s grievance committee to verify qualification of the contractor. 

The NTDC had opened a tender for procurement of hardware material, accessories and dampers, wire and other items for 500kV Transmission Line from Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Project to Domeli. Five companies from different countries participated in the bid process.

The counsel argued that the NTDC awarded the contract to the respondent Turkish company in violation of Procurement Rules.  Justice Ayesha A Malik stayed the contract and directed the grievance committee of the NTDC to submit a report after verifying qualification and credential of the Turkish company within 15 days.