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LAHORE, March 8: The Lahore High Court heard detailed but inconclusive arguments on Friday against the appointment of former chief justice Irshad Hasan Khan as chief election commissioner.
Advocate AK Dogar told Justice Saqib Nisar that the power or discretion to appoint the CEC was circumscribed by the object of holding, free and fair elections. The ex-CJP, having aided with the military regime, had disqualified himself from holding the office.
Justice Saqib Nisar asked the lawyer whether he wanted him to review a Supreme Court decision when he quoted from the ex-CJP’s judgment in the Zafar Ali Shah case. The query led to an unpleasant exchange and the case was left over after the tea break when Mr Dogar could not resume his arguments.
US TROOPS: The LHC adjourned the hearing of a writ petition against the presence of US troops in Pakistan.
Petitioner-lawyer MD Tahir said the presence of foreign troops on the Pakistani soil was an infringement of national sovereignty.
Justice Karamat Nazir Bhandari said the government had allowed the troops to stay as a matter of policy and a policy decision was not open to judicial interference. When the lawyer complained that policy matters were being repeatedly invoked to oust the jurisdiction of the court, the judge asked him to advance detailed arguments on the subject on March 21.
