LHC rejects govt argument on jurisdiction issue

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday rejected an argument of the Punjab government questioning the jurisdiction of the LHC to hear a set of petitions seeking implementation of a Supreme Court’s judgment about restoration of local governments in the province. At the outset of the hearing, an additional advocate general argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Justice Ayesha A. Malik dismissed the argument of the law officer and observed that the LHC could be approached for the implementation of a decision of the Supreme Court. The law officer further stated that the government faced legal problems to enforce the judgment in question. He said the government had also filed a review petition before the SC. The judge adjourned further hearing till July 19 and summoned the chief secretary and the secretary local government along with a summary sent to the chief minister on the matter.

Lahore city’s lord mayor retired Col Mubashir Javed and others had filed the petitions. They pleaded that the provincial government failed to restore the local governments despite the Supreme Court's detailed judgment in the matter. They said the failure of the government to implement the decision amounted to contempt of court. The petitioners asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the provincial government. On March 25, a three-judge bench of the SC, through a short order, had ordered restoration of local bodies in the province after declaring their dissolution as unconstitutional.