LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought replies from the respondents, including the provincial government, on a petition filed by Speaker Punjab Assembly Pervaiz Elahi challenging an ordinance that curtailed the powers of the PA Secretariat.
Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi also issued notice of 27-A to Advocate General Punjab (AGP) Shehzad Shaukat for assisting the court on the said matter. In his plea, Elahi challenged the ordinance through which the powers of assembly secretariat were curtailed and were brought under the law department.
The petition also challenged Governor Balighur Rehman’s decision to call off the 40th session of the assembly and commencement of 41st session in “violation” of due procedures. The petition also contested Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari’s notification through which Special Secretary (Admin) Amir Habib replaced the PA secretary in “sheer violation” of the Constitution.
The petition said the ordinance was promulgated when the House was already in session and added that new law was in direct conflict with the scheme of the Constitution as embodied in the principle of trichotomy which guarantees the independence of actions of the three organs of the state.
Elahi urged the court to strike down the ordinance and the notice of Deputy Speaker Mazari as they bore “mala fide” intent.
During the hearing, counsel Azhar Siddique presented a judgement of Justice Qazi Faiz Esa over the issue of ordinances. PTI’s counsel, former AGP Ahmed Awias, drew the court’s attention towards the violations committed by the governor and the deputy speaker to derail the system.