LAHORE, March 29: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed the federal government to submit its reply within two weeks on Advocate M D Tahir’s writ petition against the performance of Umra and Haj at public expense.

The petitioner-lawyer had challenged the decision of prime minister Nawaz Sharif of taking some 90 party leaders and workers in 1999 to Saudi Arabia for the performance of Umra at the state expense. In 2004, Mr Tahir sought to amend his petition to implead President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for following the same practice.

The LHC allowed him amendment in 2005 and also asked the lawyer to implead the federal government as a respondent. When the amended petition was taken up, the court was told that the federal government was yet to file its reply and report as to how many people benefited from the public exchequer in performing Umra and Haj since October, 1999. — Correspondent