LHC judge asks CJ for forming larger bench

LAHORE: Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi of the Lahore High Court has requested the chief justice to form a larger bench for hearing a number of pending petitions against anti-judiciary speeches of former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and other leaders of the PML-N.

On Thursday, the court had summoned Pemra secretary for filing a reply in seven days regarding airing of anti-judiciary speeches by TV channels. However, the judge in the written order released Friday referred the matter to the chief justice with a request to constitute a larger bench on the matter.

“While dictating the order, the court was apprised that some petitions on similar subject are pending adjudication before other benches. As the matter pertains to serious issue, which is of public importance, therefore, the same is referred to the chief justice for constitution of larger bench to avoid conflicting judgments,” Justice Naqvi said in the written order.

A citizen Munir Ahmad had filed a petition through advocate Azhar Siddique saying the PML-N leadership had been making derogatory speeches against the judges of the Supreme Court since the verdict of Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification in Panama Papers case. He argued that Pemra had miserably failed in acting as an independent regulator rather became a subordinate body of the government. He said the Pemra officials needed to realise that they were not working on the PML-N’s payroll and had to protect the citizens of Pakistan and the institutions in every regard.