LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday sought details from the Punjab Censor Board about its May 30 meeting allegedly convened to give legal cover to federal government’s act of banning exhibition of film Maalik.

Representing Punjab Assembly opposition leader Mahmoodur Rasheed during hearing of several petitions against the ban on the Pakistani film, Advocate Sheraz Zaka told the court that the provincial censor board held its meeting on May 30 and discussed the issue of federal government curb on Maalik’s exhibition.

He said the meeting had been convened to provide a legal cover to the ban with mala fide intention as federal government could not exercise its powers on a provincial subject.

The counsel said the board had not so far announced its decision that had been reserved for June 1. He asked the court to restrain the provincial censor board from passing any adverse order as the matter was sub-judice.

Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza issuing notices to the Punjab Censor Board for June 2, observed that whatever the board decided would be subject to the court’s final decision.

The petitioners mainly contended that the ban on the film was a violation of the fundamental rights of citizens. They also questioned jurisdiction of the federal government in the matter.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2016