KARACHI, June 23: A Sindh High Court division bench asked the respondent Punjab government on Thursday to submit detailed comments in the Punjab Development Fund lottery case on July 4 and further stayed the distribution of prizes to the winners of the latest draw held on June 11 till that date.
The bench, which consists of Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Amir Hani Muslim, is seized of a writ petition moved by Sajjad Ahmed Bhatti of Larkana through Advocate Asif Ali Razzak Soomro.
The petitioner says that he was sold tickets with identical numbers by M/s International Brands Limited, Larkana. In any case, the lottery is un-Islamic and unconstitutional and should be banned under the law declared by the superior courts.
Prizes amounting to Rs75 million were announced on June 11 after the draw. The ‘crorepati’ raffle carries the highest prize of Rs25 million. Tickets are sold for a non-refundable price of Rs25 each.
Advocate Chaudhry Mushtaq appeared for the Punjab government along with Advocate-General Aftab Iqbal Chaudhry and sought adjournment as the matter had been agitated before the Supreme Court by way of an appeal against the interim stay order of June 11.
They replied in the negative when asked by the bench whether the Supreme Court had stayed the proceedings or accepted the petition.
The bench observed that it had to proceed in the matter, which involved public interest, under Article 189 of the Constitution, which says that Supreme Court decisions on questions of law are binding.
According to the petitioner, the SC Shariat Appellate Bench outlawed in 1992 all lotteries except those in which, like in the prize bonds scheme, the initial investment or ticket purchase money remained intact. The bench observed that both sides were free to argue their cases exhaustively.
While the petitioner’s counsel expressed willingness to argue, the government counsel sought time to file detailed comments and withdrew brief comments earlier submitted by the respondent. Advocate Soomro said the petition was pending since June 3, when he sought an interim injunction against the draw. July 4 was fixed by consent of the parties as the next date.
