April 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1429

LAHORE, April 29: The Lahore High Court has sought explanation from an additional district and sessions judge for summoning a traffic warden to his court.

The warden had issued the a challan ticket for violating traffic law.

According to warden Muhammad Saqib, who has filed a complaint with his department’s higher-ups, he stopped a vehicle being driven by an AD&SJ last week for committing one-way traffic violation in Shadman.

Saqib said although the judge had introduced himself to him, but he refused to ‘oblige’ him on the plea that ‘nobody is above law’.

After a couple of hours of issuing a (fine) ticket to him, he said, the judicial officer through his staff summoned him to his court and admonished him (for his audacity) and made him pay the fine amount besides asking him to apologise to the judge. “If you have power to challan anybody, I have the authority to execute someone,” the judge had reportedly told the warden when he tendered the apology.

Chief Traffic Officer Ghulam Mahmood Dogar told Dawn that he had received the complaint of Saqib and subsequently brought the matter into the knowledge of the district and sessions judge and the Lahore High Court registrar. He said such incidents should not happen as the department looked up to the judiciary for guidance and support.

LHC Registrar Pervaiz Ali Chawla told Dawn that he had received a complaint in this regard and sought explanation from the judge in question. He said he could not comment further unless he received his (the judge’s) response.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Hamid Khan told Dawn that ‘if the version of warden is true’ the judge in question had committed ‘misconduct’ and it amounted to ‘misuse of authority’ and the LHC could initiate action against him.

“In case a person feels that he has been wrongly issued a traffic violation ticket, he or she can contest it in court through a lawyer,” he added.