A Lahore High Court (LHC) full bench while adjourning until Jan 14 the hearing over the case pertaining to dual offices held by President Asif Ali Zardari, ordered the counsel for government of Pakistan, Wasim Sajjad and Attorney General of Pakistan Irfan Qadir to complete their arguments over presidential immunity during the next hearing.
According to a private television channel, a five-member bench comprising of LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh, Justice Sheikh Najmul Hassan, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah resumed the hearingof a contempt of court petition over the dual offices held by President Asif Ali Zardari.
Earlier during the hearing Additional Attorney-General Abdul Hayee Gilani requested the court to adjourn the hearing on the pretext of the strike observed by the lawyers of Pakistan Bar Council and Punjab Bar Council against the National Judicial Policy.
Lawyer for the petitioner alleged that the government was employing delaying tactics and requested the court to order the Federal government to submit a written reply on the issue of immunity of President Asif Ali Zardari.
The court while accepting the request of government for extension of time, adjourned the hearing until Jan 14 and ordered the government’s counsel Barrister Wasim Sajjad and Attorney General Irfan Qadir to complete under all circumstances, their arguments over the issue of presidential immunity during the next hearing.
