LAHORE, Nov 24: Justice Syed Jamshed Ali on Wednesday dismissed the petition through which Advocate M.D. Tahir had challenged the Ring Road project.

The petition was dismissed after an argument by the advocate-petitioner who sought a court direction against the Punjab government and the City District Government to give the revised plan and execute the project as was originally conceived by the previous provincial government.

He submitted that the revised plan would displace about six million people in eight localities of Bund Road and cause the demolition of several industrial and commercial establishments in addition to graveyards, mosques and filling stations.

He cited a number of superior court judgements in support of his argument and several articles of the Constitution to submit that the plan in its present form violated fundamental rights of the people of Bund Road. He said he would file an intra-court appeal against the dismissal of his petition.

ZARDARI GREETED: The Lahore Court Bar Association has welcomed the Supreme Court decision to allow bail to Asif Ali Zardari, saying the step will restore the dignity of the judiciary.

A resolution, moved by Advocate Khurram Latif and adopted unanimously by the bar's general house, said the decision was a ray of hope in lifting the prestige of the superior judiciary. Bar office-bearers Syed Zulfiqar Ali Bokhari, Azam Nazir Tarar, Sarfraz Ali Khan, Mian Hanif Tahir, Raja Zulqarnain and Chaudhry Mohammad Ishaq spoke on the resolution.

Bar President Ahmad Awais said judges of superior courts were equally responsible along with other ruling classes in weakening the institution of judiciary. He said the decision gave a hope to the people that the judiciary would address to all national issues with conviction and restore its image.