LHC rejects Govt. objections in Zardari ‘dual office case’
By ANITuesday, June 22, 2010
LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) has dismissed a plea against the maintainability of a case challenging Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari holding two offices of interest.
The court also rejected the federal government’s objection regarding the case’s hearing, The Dawn reports.
The government and presidential lawyers had earlier argued that the court was not authorized to hear the case.
The Pakistan Lawyers Forum (PLF) has filed a petition challenging President Zardari’s right to hold on to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman post simultaneously.
PLF president A.K. Dogar said that though there was no constitutional bar on the President holding office in a political party, the Supreme Court had barred a president from holding a party post.
“Our Supreme Court judges decided in 1993 that the president should be non-partisan. He should not involve himself in political battles. He should shun politics but here he is a party head, which is illegal,” he said.
Meanwhile, President’s counsel Talib Rizvi boycotted the court proceedings, saying that the court was not hearing his arguments.
He further said that his client had asked him not to appear before the court, and added that he would not pursue the case in future. (ANI)
