LAHORE, Feb 4: The federal government on Monday questioned jurisdiction of the Lahore High Court to hear petitions against formation of a parliamentary commission that proposed creation of Bahawalpur Janoobi Punjab province.

As Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan resumed hearing on the petitions, Additional Attorney General Abdul Hayee Gilani asked the judge to first decide whether the court was constitutionally empowered to interfere in internal affairs of the parliament.

The law officer, however, failed to produce notification and the recommendations of the parliamentary commission.

The judge adjourned hearing for Wednesday (tomorrow) and directed the law officer to come up with arguments on the jurisdiction of the court and also the record of formation of the commission.

The petitioners had contended that neither the Constitution nor rules of business allowed the National Assembly speaker to form a commission on new provinces. They said inclusion of Mianwali district in proposed Bahawalpur Janoobi Punjab province was against the will of locals.

They pointed out that the Punjab Assembly had passed two resolutions on the subject matter and demanded the restoration of Bahawalpur province instead of creation of a new one. They said the incumbent rulers had no mandate for creation of new provinces and such act will amount to disturbing the administration system of the country. They said Article 239 of the Constitution empowered the parliament only to change geographical limits of provinces.

The petitioners said people in Mianwali had been observing protests against the recommendations of the ‘illegal’ parliamentary commission. They said the situation might get worse if the recommendations of the commission were not rejected.