LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notices to the federal government and the interior ministry on a petition seeking an open inquiry into conduct of the functionaries involved in leaking to the media information of an in-camera meeting of the National Security Committee.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah heard initiation arguments of former federal law minister Babar Awan on behalf of the petitioner, also a lawyer affiliated to the PPP.

Mr Awan stated the government itself announced that it would hold an inquiry to trace the culprits involved in “the breach of national security” and to bring them to the book.

However, he said, there was no hope of justice as finger was being pointed at people not less than the federal ministers, advisors of the prime minster and top bureaucrats.

He said the interior secretary was duty bound to act immediately to set the law of high-treason in motion for prosecution against the culprits.

Advocate Awan asked the court to order the interior secretary to act under the Constitution and make public the outcome of the inquiry. He also pleaded that all the functionaries allegedly involved in the national security breach be put on Exit Control List (ECL).

He further asked the court to direct the National Assembly speaker to send a reference to the election commission for the disqualification of the parliamentarians involved in the scandal.

The chief justice issued notices to the respondent authorities and sought their replies by Nov 15.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2016

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