ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry has taken notice of Saturday’s arson attack on Christian houses in Lahore and directed that notices be issued to the advocate general and inspector general of police of Punjab to appear and put up comprehensive reports on Monday, says an official announcement.
It says that the action has been “taken on an office note initiated by the registrar of the Supreme Court (SC) based on press clippings of different newspapers containing the details of the incident that over 178 houses were burnt in a mob attack” on Saturday in a predominantly Christian colony in the Badami Bagh area over an alleged incident of blasphemy.
The note says that the incident is a serious threat to the life and property of the people of minority community, which are serious violations of fundamental rights, guaranteed under articles 9, 14, 23 and 24 of the Constitution.
LNG IMPORT: The chief justice has also taken notice of press reports as well as a note of the SC registrar containing details regarding the LNG contract, says another official announcement.
The CJ has issued notices to the secretaries of the ministries of petroleum, finance and economic affairs, the managing director of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), the chairman of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), and the former SSGC chairman who has reportedly tendered resignation.
The registrar in his note has mentioned the SC’s ruling in the suo motu case of 2010 (action regarding huge loss to public exchequer by ignoring lowest bid of Fauji Foundation and Multinational Energy from Vitol by awarding LNG contract).
The CJ has taken action on newspaper reports that the ECC has failed to take a decision on the award of a multi-billion dollar contract for import of 400 million cubic feet of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and left the matter to the federal cabinet.
After going through the contents of the note, the CJ passed the following order: “I have perused the above stated press clippings as well as note of the registrar containing inter alia relevant extract from the judgment of the court (PLD 2010 SC 731). It is to be seen as to whether the contract of LNG is being awarded in a transparent manner or otherwise, in view of the allegations reported in the newspapers. The issue may, therefore, be registered as constitution petition under Article 184(3) of theConstitution and fixed in the Court on 11.3.2013. Notices be issued to the secretaries of the Ministry of the Petroleum, Finance and Economic Affairs, MD, PPRA, Chairman SSGC, both incumbent and former Waqar A. Malik who has reportedly tendered resignation. The secretary petroleum is further directed to effect service upon the bidding parties through his own sources through use of e-mail, fax, telephone, etc.”