RAWALPINDI, July 30: Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench here on Wednesday suspended the order of a civil court regarding the freezing of the account of Punjab Constabulary Battalion-II (PCB) and directed the respondents to submit their response on August 18, the next hearing date.

Justice Khalil Ahmed of the LHC admitted the civil appeal of Punjab police filed by Sardar Hafeez advocate against the impugned order of Rawalpindis senior civil judge and suspended the order about attaching account no RI-4039 of the Punjab Constabulary. The court directed the respondents to submit the relevant record of the case.

According to details of the appeal petition, the civil court ordered on March 6, 2003 to freeze the account of the battalion after 40 respondents moved the court about the execution of a decree awarded in their favour by the court on October 15, 1995.

In the appeal, the Punjab police maintained that the civil court order had affected the constabulary to such an extent that the monthly salaries and allowances of the personnel of battalion-II had to be withheld as it had become impossible to manage day to day affairs of the battalion.

The petitioner said they filed a clarification application with the court on April 23, 2008 but the court dismissed it as an objection petition and directed the petitioner to go to a higher court to challenge the decision.

Later the Punjab police filed a petition with district and sessions judge against the decision of the lower court but their appeal was rejected on May 28, 2008 forcing them to knock on the door of the high court.

It may be mentioned here that the civil court had decided a land acquisition case in favour of 40 landowners, and the appeals of the Punjab Constabulary had been set aside by the sessions court and later by the LHC. At present it is pending with the Supreme Court.