LAHORE, Nov 22: Advocate M.D. Tahir on Monday refiled his writ petition against the Ring Road project after removing the objection raised by the Lahore High Court registrar office.
The office had returned the petition earlier in the day that it was not accompanied by a certified copy of the project's plan. The advocate refiled the petition later with a reply that he could not secure such a copy.
The petition, filed on Saturday, challenged the project on the plea that its execution would displace thousands of residents in eight localities, cause demolition of 18 industrial and commercial sites and damage 14 mosques because another 60-foot area of Bund Road was required to be appropriated.
Mr Tahir submitted that the project be revised in the light of the original plan which was to cover an area of 78km as against 52km under the revised plan.
NOTICE: The High Court served a notice on the attorney-general to appear on Dec 2 to explain the reason behind the expansion of the federal cabinet.
The expansion in the cabinet was challenged through a writ petition by Advocate M.D. Tahir who contended that the unprecedented number of 72 ministers, state ministers and parliamentary secretaries was a financial burden on the exchequer and the common taxpayers who were not getting their due rights and socio-economic justice.
The petitioner said he filed the petition when the number of cabinet members was only 15. With the passage of time, the number rose substantially at a time when poverty was on the rise and the deprived people were committing suicide.
ELECTION PETITION: The LHC adjourned till Dec 16 an election petition against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in which allegations of corrupt electoral practices have been raised.
Petitioner Jameel Ahmad Malik, who lost the bypolls for a National Assembly seat from Attock (NA-59) to the prime minister along with six other candidates, alleged that Mr Aziz could not qualify to be a candidate because he was an American citizen and possessed a US passport.
He also concealed from the returning officer the worth of his assets and liabilities as was required under the law. Advocate Wasim Sajjad appeared on behalf of the prime minister and requested adjournment of the proceedings.