February 03, 2007	Saturday	Muharram 14, 1428

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LAHORE, Feb 2: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Friday formally permitted the City District Government Lahore to allow kite manufacturing and sale for 10 days and flying for two days of Basant.

The district government had sought the permission from the local government department for allowing kite manufacturing and sale in the city from Feb 10 to 25 and kite flying on Feb 24 and 25.

In response, the local government sent a related summary to the chief minister who formally gave the permission, senior government officials said.

ANOTHER PLEA: Advocate MD Tahir has filed an application with the Supreme Court with a request that it should not lift the ban on kite flying and allied business.

He submitted that the apex court had imposed complete ban on kite flying while considering the public interest, but the Punjab government was still insisting on lifting the ban.

He said such a demand of the government was very disgusting as despite complete ban on kite flying, 12-year-old Hamza and two others were injured owing to this activity in the recent days.

The lawyer has requested the court to initiate criminal proceedings against the authorities failing to protect lives of citizens.

Law firm’s reply: A law company on Friday submitted a reply to the Lahore High Court chief justice through the registrar office to the objection of non-maintainability of a petition against the Punjab Kite-Flying (Amendment) Ordinance of 2007.

The registrar office had on Thursday returned the petition, objecting that the matter was already pending with the Supreme Court. The petition was moved by Advocate Mohammad Azhar who requested the court to declare illegal the Punjab Kite-Flying (Amendment) Ordinance of 2007, stating that it was against the public interest and in violation of the Constitution.

The petitioner-lawyer in his reply submitted that the ordinance was not under consideration before the Supreme Court and the objection was, therefore, vague and illegal.

The petitioner said access to justice was a fundamental right guaranteed under Article 9 of the Constitution. He pleaded that the administrative officers were not authorised to issue orders in his case without allowing him an opportunity of being heard. The petitioner requested the chief justice to allow the petition for hearing.