LAHORE – The Lahore High Court Chief Justice observed Tuesday the federal government’s admission to Rs90 billion theft shown incompetence of its institutions.
“Corruption is being practiced openly in most of the state departments, including the Water and Power Ministry,” LHC CJ Ata Bandial remarked while hearing a civil miscellaneous application in an already pending petition against unscheduled loadshedding of electricity.
The petitioner informed the court that the people of Punjab were facing at least 16 hours loadshedding as its electricity was being supplied to Sindh.
However, uninterrupted power supply was also being given to metro bus service which could also be provided to the masses, the court heard.
He told the court the government had admitted that Rs93billion’s electricity was being theft. The court recorded the partial arguments and put off the hearing until March 18 when the main case will be heard. The court noted the matter would be discussed in depth.
RESERVED: The LHC reserved judgment on a petition seeking disqualification of PML-N MPA Farah Deeba for fake degree. Shahda Perveen, a citizen, moved the petition by submitting that the respondent had used fake degree of graduation for contesting general election in 2008. She contended the MPA didn’t fulfill the criteria of Article 62 and 63 of the constitution. The petitioner requested the court to disqualify the MPA from assembly membership.
Notice over shootout: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial Tuesday took notice of killing of two brothers in a shootout with the Rawalpindi police. The chief justice sought report from the sessions judge about steps taken by the local police along with his own comments in a week.
Two brothers Malik Jamshed and Malik Sajjad were killed on late on February 14. The chief justice took notice after by TheNation broke  a story, citing Malik Rehmat Khan, the father of the deceased, and their relatives as terming it a fake shootout.
 “If police have any clue against my sons proving their involvement in anti-state activities or their link with any banned outfit, then they should have been arrested and tried in any court of law,” said Malik Rehmat.
DIRECTIVES:  The chief justice directed judges of district consumer courts to hear cases in the respective districts of their division.
According to a notification issued by LHC, presiding officers of these courts have been asked to hold consumer court proceeding in the district of their jurisdiction at least once a week according to their convenience and suitability.
Poll PLEA: Dr Mubashir Hassan has moved the Supreme Court for independence of ECP and directives for free and  fair polls  and to stop tax evaders, defaulters and bogus degree holders.
Dr Hassan has made 24 respondents in his petition including commissioner and member of the election commission, all four chief ministers, chairmen of HEC, State Bank of Pakistan, and Board of Revenue, and heads of nine major political parties.