LAHORE: The federal government on Monday joined the proceedings against the project of the Orange Line Metro Train as the Lahore High Court was told that the private counsel for the Punjab government had disassociated himself from the case for ‘personal reasons’.

Judges of a division bench seized with a petition of the civil society against US $1.62 billion train project were a little surprised to know that Khwaja Haris advocate had withdrawn his power of attorney in the case and expressed his inability to further plead it on behalf of the provincial government.

Barrister Maqsooma Bokhari, an associate of Haris, told the bench the counsel had also returned the fee to the government he received to defend the project.

Sources said Haris advocate had disassociated himself from the case as he was unhappy with the government for defiance of the stay order against construction work of the project within 200-foot radius of the heritage sites. They said Haris was also annoyed with interference in the case from political quarters. The senior lawyer had had also resigned from the post of advocate general of Punjab in 2011.

LHC extends stay until 22nd; Centre joins proceedings through attorney general

Meanwhile, the bench continued the proceedings with an application submitted by Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt against the stay issued in the case. Additional Advocate General Asma Hamid appeared on behalf of the Punjab government.

At this junction, petitioners’ counsel Azhar Siddique raised an objection to the representation of the federal government in the case. He said the stay was not issued against the federal government.

However, the attorney general stated the federal government was facing difficulty in getting loan for the project since the court passed the stay order. He said the project was being funded through foreign loans and the federation had given commitments in respect of the loans. He said the stay order issued by the court would have a serious effect on timely completion of the project. This would also adversely affect international commitments and obligations of the federation not only in respect of the foreign loans for the project but also its credibility, he added.

Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, who heads the bench, directed the petitioners to submit their reply to the federation’s application against the stay order.

The bench also issued notice to the provincial government on an application from the petitioners’ side against the use of playgrounds for the construction of the project. The bench extended the stay till Feb 22.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2016