ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: The Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, on Friday issued notice to Attorney General of Pakistan to give his views on whether Pakistani citizens could be summoned by court in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The issue was raised on Friday by a petitioner Mohammad Khalid of village Niazian, Islamabad. He stated that he was summoned by the Judicial Magistrate Muzaffarabad and the Islamabad District administration was in the process of sending him to AJK with which Pakistan has no extradition treaty.

Justice Javed Buttar, after hearing Babar Awan advocate, counsel for the petitioner, issued a direction that the petitioner should not be handed over to AJK administration till the disposal of the writ petition.

The court observed that the matter was of great importance and the Attorney General of Pakistan and Advocate General Punjab should appear in court to express their views on the legal issue raised in the petition.

Justice Javed Buttar observed that it was sad that the residents of the Northern Areas were not given the rights despite their having acceded to Pakistan voluntarily. Taxes are being collected from them but no right is granted to them, he observed.

No date was fixed for the next hearing.