LAHORE, July 19: The Lahore High Court dismissed in limine a writ petition saying that voters in general elections should at least be matriculates and that post-graduate qualifications be prescribed for the offices of heads of state and government.

Petitioner-lawyer MD Tahir contended that Pakistan had faced political instability, massive corruption and lack of economic growth primarily because being illiterate the voters elected unqualified and incompetent people to high offices.

Justice Tasadduq Husain Jilani observed that any attempt to prescribe qualifications for voters would restrict universal adult franchise, which is a prerequisite for democracy. The presumption that only literate voters can make the right kind of choices is wrong. There is instability in many countries which have a high literacy rate.

As for high academic qualifications for the offices of president and prime minister, the judge observed that this would restrict the high offices to a privileged few.

PROFESSIONAL TAX: The imposition of professional tax on lawyers was challenged in the Lahore High Court on Friday.

Petitioner-lawyer Tariq Aziz, an executive member of the Supreme Court Bar Association, maintained that the levy was aimed at victimizing lawyers for their campaign for revival of democracy. It was also discriminatory, confiscatory, unjust, illegal and unconstitutional. He said most of the new entrants to the profession would not be able to pay the tax at the rate of Rs1,000 per annum.