Govt to uphold LHC decision on long marches: #Nisar

#GNN - #ISLAMABAD: Appreciating the decision of #Lahore High Court (LHC) that barred staging of long marches and sit-downs in Islamabad, Interior Minister, Chaudhry Nisar Wednesday said the court’s orders will be upheld in letter and spirit.

Addressing a press conference here, Chaudhry Nisar declared demands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan as ‘illegal and unconstitutional’.

He said the district administration will decide whether the protest is legal and within the parameters of the Constitution.

The Interior Minister said the PTI chief had, in the past, repeatedly demanded constitution of a three-judge Supreme Court commission to investigate into the allegations of irregularities in May 11, 2013 general elections.

He said a democratic assembly cannot be sent packing on the demands of a violent crowd. “Islamabad cannot be left at the mercy of a proponent of bloodshed,” he added.

However, PTI chief Imran Khan said in a media statement that LHC has barred ‘unconstitutional’ protest but his party will go ahead and stage a ‘constitutional’ march.

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Too enthusiastic: CJ seeks Khan’s comments on PTI activists’ rowdyism

A large number of his supporters had tried to follow him to the courtroom of the chief justice when Imran Khan arrived at the LHC. PHOTO: INP

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Wednesday asked Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to submit in writing his position on the disturbance caused by PTI supporters at the court which forced the chief justice to leave the courtroom.

A large number of his supporters had tried to follow him to the courtroom of the chief justice when Imran Khan arrived at the LHC.

There was a near-stampede when the narrow entrance to the room got blocked.

When the security staff tried to stop PTI supporters from entering by closing the doors, they started hammering on the door and broke a glass pane. At one point, the door was dismantled.

During this commotion, the chief justice left the court room where he was holding proceedings of another case.

PTI Chief Imran Khan had gone to court to attend proceedings of the petition filed by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq who has challenged an order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The court adjourned hearing till May 15.

The chief justice, in his written order addressing Imran Khan said, “Precautions must be taken by persons with political following who have an added duty to control irresponsible behaviour by their supporters. The brash conduct by fervent supporters in the present case should have been anticipated and prevented.”

The written order of the LHC chief justice further said, “Khan’s counsel expressed regrets that the crowd of supporters forcibly entered the courtroom. The doors of the court were unhinged in the process but court proceedings were not interrupted. However, the forcible entry disturbed the decorum and tranquillity of the court and the case under hearing was shifted to chambers [of the chief justice].”

“Khan’s counsel, Ahmed Awais, was called to the chamber where he regretted the rash behaviour. Thereafter, he advised Imran Khan to leave the courtroom and to disperse the enthusiasts. That was done,” the order said.

Khan left the court without speaking to newsmen. The chief justice said an opportunity had been granted to Khan to state his position on the incident. Sadiq, in his petition, had challenged order of the election commission to the returning officer inspect election record of NA-122. He said returning officers are not responsible for the elections record after they submit it to the ECP. Khan had approached the ECP for inspection of the polling record after he lost election from NA-122 against Sadiq.

(By Our Correspondent) Published in GNN & Tribune, May 8th, 2014.

For justice: LHC takes notice of molestation reports

One of the reports said Sadiq, a resident of Gogera, lured a woman on her way to see her sister and molested her. PHOTO: LHC.GOV.PK

LAHORE: Lahore High Court’s Complaint Cell on Tuesday took notice of media reports of three women being molested in three districts.

One of the reports said Sadiq, a resident of Gogera, lured a woman on her way to see her sister and molested her. Another report said a grade five student in Pakpattan’s Arazi Amer Singh village was kidnapped and taken to nearby fields. The men tried to molest her but her cries attracted some villagers who caught one of them while the other fled.

The girl’s parents said the investigation officer had been pressuring them to drop the charges. A third report said two sisters, residents of Kamalia, were on their way home when two men detained and molested them. Police are investigating the matter.

LHC has directed district and sessions judges of Okara, Pakpattan and Toba Tek Singh to submit reports on these cases within a week.

Published in GNN & Tribune, May 7th, 2014. (By Our Correspondent)