LHC seeks arguments on maintainability of Abbasi’s plea

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday sought arguments from former prime minister Shahid Haqan Abbasi’s counsel on the maintainability of a fresh petition against the Punjab government for not sending the petitioner, detained in Adiala jail, to Islamabad to attend the assembly session.

During the hearing, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi observed that the NA speaker had the power to procure attendance of any member in the assembly session. He told Advocate Mashhood Ahmad, the petitioner’s counsel, that the petitioner should have approached the speaker instead of moving the court. The petitioner should fight for his rights in the parliament. The counsel pointed out that the production orders of under-trial MNA Khwaja Saad Rafiq have not been implemented too. The bench observed that it was hearing the petition as an “objection case” as it still required assistance from the counsel on its maintainability. The bench adjourned the hearing and directed a deputy attorney general to find out hurdles in execution of the petitioner’s production orders. Abbasi, in the petition, sought a court directive to the provincial government to execute his production orders issued by the NA speaker and ensure his attendance in the assembly session.