LAHORE: The Lahore High Court chief justice on Tuesday summoned the advocate general, prosecutor general, home secretary and others on a petition seeking trial of Kasur child abuse suspects by the anti-terrorism court.

As the chief justice took up the petition, Advocate Aftab Bajwa on behalf of petitioners argued the incident shook the whole country.

He said there had been a sense of fear among the residents of Kasur since the mass child abuse scandal was unearthed.

The counsel argued that since the incident was of heinous nature, the case should be transferred to anti-terrorism court instead of a court of ordinary jurisdiction.

He asked the LHC chief justice to order insertion of Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and shift the trial to the special court.

CJ Manzoor Ahmad Malik adjourned hearing for Wednesday (today) and summoned the respondents with complete case record.

PAT: Pakistan Awami Tehreek has assailed Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2015 before the LHC.

PAT Punjab president Basharat Aziz Jaspal in his petition stated that sections 2, 4 and 8 of the PLGO contradicted the articles 140-A, 25, and 17 of the Constitution. He says the impugned sections curtailed rights of the public at large, especially their right to democratic and efficient governance.

He says the ordinance smacks of mala fide on part of Punjab government, denying the representation of women, workers and youth members through direct election.

He pleads that indirect election (section) will pave the way for corruption as elected members are likely to be purchased like a commodity.

He prays to the court to strike down sections 2, 4 and 8 of the impugned ordinance for being ultra vires to the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2015

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