22 May 2004	Saturday	02 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, May 21: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Husain Chaudhry on Friday constituted a division bench to hear the petitions of seven PML-N leaders - including three MPAs - against their detention.

The division bench comprises Justice Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Justice Mohammad Bilal Khan.

The petitions were filed by MPAs Malik Yawar Zaman, Mehr Mohammad Ishtiaq and Rao Jahanzeb Khan, UC Nazim (Lahore) Mohammad Shoaib Khan, UC Naib Nazim (Lahore) Nazir Khan Swati and PML-N activists Nasir Ahmad Nasri and Maqsood Aslam.

Justice Mohammad Bilal Khan had been hearing the petitions before he referred the same to the chief justice for constitution of a division bench. The PML-N leaders have challenged their detention, notified by the home department under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance on May 11 to prevent them from going to the Lahore airport to receive party president Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

The plea taken by the petitioners is that the detention orders contain charges that are hypothetical, frivolous, ambiguous and tantamount to contravening their fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution.