LAHORE, May 8: The chief justice of the Lahore High Court will take up the Pakistan Lawyers Forum (PLF) petition seeking trial of President Gen Musharraf on high treason charges on Friday (today).

Earlier, the LHC office had objected to the petition on some ‘technical’ grounds and PLF president A. K. Dogar filed it afresh contending that only a court could raise objections on a petition and the LHC office did not have the jurisdiction to do so.

The petition is based on the recent press statement of Gen Musharraf in which he had said that he would continue to hold both offices of the COAS and the president simultaneously since in this manner he could manage the state affairs quite easily.

The petitioner raised the point that the Supreme Court in judgments delivered in the Zafar Ali Shah and Wasim Sajjad cases had clearly laid down that Gen Musharraf would have to relinquish the office of COAS after handing over the power to the civilians within three years commencing from October 12, 1999. According to the petitioner, the power had not been transferred as yet despite holding of general election. Rather it was still lying with Gen Musharraf who had asserted that he would remain COAS.

FIR against girl: The Lahore High Court on Thursday quashed an FIR lodged by a 45-year-old man against his 15-year-old former wife.

Jehan Khan had alleged in the FIR lodged with Mandi Bahauddin police that Mumtaz Bibi had an abortion.

Justice Tassadaq Hussain Jilani warned Jehan Khan of being tried on charges of making a false statement before the court.

Justice Jilani observed that there was no documentary evidence on the record to substantiate the allegation that Mumtaz Bibi had abortion when she was five-month pregnant.

There was no point in pressing for a frivolous complaint against the girl who was divorced by Jehan Khan on March 21, 2001, and now married to another man.

“The FIR and the subsequent complaints lodged with the judicial officers appear to be an attempt to enter into meaningless litigation on part of Jehan Khan which can not be allowed at the expense of one’s dignity,” Justice Jilani further ruled.

Earlier, Mumtaz Bibi’s counsel argued that his client was implicated in a case and her former husband was trying to drag her in a useless matter.

To a court query, the counsel submitted that Jehan Khan was a drug-addict and did nothing to earn his living. Rather he had been forcing his former wife to ask her parents to support him.

Jehan Khan, who claimed to be a tenant, argued that he married Mumtaz seven years ago when she was only eight-year-old. He further claimed that he took full care of his wife till he divorced her at the age of 13.

He alleged that she had an abortion and a local lady doctor confirmed this to him after which he lodged an FIR in April 2000 with the police.

He filed a private complaint with the judicial magistrate who dismissed it. Later, he filed a complaint before the additional district and sessions judge who summoned his former wife in this case.

Mumtaz Bibi moved the LHC against the orders of the AD&SJ.

Hashmi case: Justice Pervez Ahmad of the Lahore High Court on Thursday adjourned an election petition against PML-N MNA Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and directed him to file a reply.

The petition filed by Tariq Waheed Butt, a PPPP candidate who lost election from NA-123, Lahore, submitted that Mr Hashmi was defaulter of many banks and a NAB accused, but allowed to contest election.

He alleged that the respondent had rigged the election with the connivance of the presiding officer, requesting the tribunal to disqualify him.