10 February 2005	Thursday	30 Zilhaj 1425

LAHORE, Feb 9: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday declined to proceed on a constitutional petition of Ravi Town Nazim Amir Munir on the ground that the petitioner should first surrender before seeking a legal relief.

The court adjourned sine die the process on the petition.

Amir Munir is involved in financial bungling who has been missing since registration of cases against him and declared a proclaimed offender by the Punjab anti-corruption court.

The decision came after the petitioner's counsel failed to assure the court that he would be able to produce the petitioner in the court.

The court asked the counsel to ensure the production of the petitioner because no proceedings could be taken up and relief granted in his absence as was required under the law that a person was entitled to such a relief only after surrendering before the law.

The petitioner had challenged the legality of the anti-corruption court and contended that it was set up in negation of the law which authorized the superior judiciary to form special courts.

He contended that the anti-corruption court was a parallel judicial system which should be struck down.

He submitted that the court, set up under the Criminal Law Amendment, 1958, was constituted by the executive authority of the Punjab government and not by the superior judiciary.