Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has said that the president could be impeached if the people so desired.
He gave these remarks while hearing a contempt of court plea in the dual office case against President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday when a five-member LHC bench headed by Chief Justice Omar Atta Bandial resumed hearing in the matter.
The court granted the plea from the counsel for the federation on advancing arguments in the case.
LHC Chief Justice Omar Atta Bandial remarked he had no authority to nullify provisions of the constitution.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah observed people had to bring change in law as they were supreme.
AK Dogar, counsel for the petitioner, argued that the basic spirit of the law could not be changed even if the people wanted to.
He said the matter of contempt of court and law were equal for everyone. “No one could be exempted from punishment for committing contempt of court whether it was the head of state or an ordinary citizen,” he added.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said the president could be impeached if the people wanted his impeachment.
Chief Justice Bandial said, “We are not here to convict or disqualify everyone. Ensuring implementation of court’s verdicts is our objective.”
But the bench would ensure that judicial directives were implemented, the judges said, adding that the country’s high-profile figures should not be “targeted” through such petitions.
ov� � et��� c ntly decided that all illegal barriers, which restrict the movement of law enforcement agencies and emergency workers, would be removed. The decision drew strong criticism from the quarters concerned, which forced authorities to sort out the modalities before the launch of any removal operation.
The areas that have been cordoned off with barriers include Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Mehmoodabad, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshane Jauhar, North Nazimabad, New Karachi, Gulberg, Lalo Khet, Mooninabad, Saddar, Garden Town, Burns Road, Model Colony, Maskan Chowrangi, Quaide Azam Colony, PIB Colony, Safoora Chowrangi, Mosmiyat, Rabia City, Pehlwan Goth, Chisthi Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Lyari, Korangi Industrial area, SITE Town, Shershah, Orangi Town, Baldia Town, Gulshane Maymar and around 300 other sites.
This activity, which has seized to be an anomaly in the city, is a clear violation of Article 139(c)(d) and 141 of the Police Order 2002
A senior police officer told Pakistan Today that the local police could exercise these powers by placing barricades on several roads as part of the security measures for a procession, public meeting or around government installations.
In December 2008, the Sindh Home Department had announced to launch a crackdown against installation of illegal barriers and a notification was issued instructing all Station House Officers (SHOs) to remove illegal barriers from the streets and societies of the city. However, the practice has only accelerated owing to apathy of the concerned police stations, sources told Pakistan Today.
After passage of three and a half years, a high level meeting of police and Rangers’ officials had on June 21, 2012, decided to constitute a joint team to conduct surveys to collect data on illegal barriers throughout the city.
The joint survey team was constituted following the orders of Sindh government for removal of such barriers. However, no progress has so far been made in this regard.
Senior officials at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Police Station told Pakistan Today that major streets and service roads were blocked by political parties as they wanted to keep their areas safe and secure. “No political party or individual ever seeks prior permission to install any barrier in their area,” an official said.
The same views were expressed by officials of the Aziz Bhatti Police when Pakistan Today asked them for their opinion on the matter.
why my this comment was deleted under the topic???/
this is expressing the true emotion of public.
People want to kill by stoning to their president, army chief, Interior and finance ministers along with dr Asim and all who are seen right or left to these characters but these are ur state laws and its security measures which is big hurdle in between people wishes and these VIPS.
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