LHC full bench to hear case against Altaf, others

LAHORE
The Lahore High Court Chief Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik has constituted a three-judge full bench to hear a petition seeking proceedings against MQM chief Altaf Husain and other leaders of the party under treason charges.
Headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi with Justice Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu and Justice Erum Sajjad Gull as its members, the full bench would start hearing of the petition today (Tuesday). Previously, Justice Naqvi heard the petition as single bench and referred it to chief justice with a request to form a larger bench citing importance of the matter. Advocate Aftab Virk had filed the petition stating that MQM chief and other eight leaders, including Babar Ghouri, Farooq Sattar and Waseem Akhtar used to speak against integrity of the country and the army in their speeches and at different talk shows while the government failed to take action against them. He said the respondents were tarnishing the image of Pakistan in the world. He said their speeches were tantamount to treason and they should be tried under the Treason Act. The petitioner asked the court to issue direction to the federal government to lodge treason cases against the MQM chief and other leaders.