Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Khwaja Imtiaz Ahmad has constituted a larger bench to hear petitions against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI) Azadi March.
The larger bench comprises of Justice Khalid Mehmood Khan, Justice Shahid Hameed and Justice Anwarul Haq.
The bench, headed by Justice Mehmood, was formed after the judge on Thursday requested Justice Imtiaz to constitute a larger bench to hear petitions against the march.
The question of a larger bench emerged on Thursday when Justice Mehmood was hearing a petition moved by a citizen, Kamran, on the matter. At the time, senior advocate A K Dogar pointed out that a similar petition was also pending adjudication before another bench of the court.
Dogar had then asked the judge to refer the matter to the chief justice for formation of a larger bench. He was of the view that the petitions carried important legal questions that needed greater interpretation.
Kamran’s petition pleads that the march announced by the PTI against alleged rigging in 2013 general election would promote anarchy in country.
He said the PTI’s protest march would also damage democratic system in the country and invite anti-democratic forces to prevail. He asked the court to issue an order to the government to meet the demands of opposition parties through dialogue and stop the PTI march to protect the country’s political system.
