LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Lahore High Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a petition challenging the imposition of Section 144 in the by-elections.
LHC’s Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan heard the petition filed by a citizen, Malik Najiullah, against the enforcement of Section 144 in the by-elections.
The petitioner argued that the Home Department had no role in the transparency of the by-elections, adding that the imposition of Section 144 put a question mark on the polls’ transparency.
The petitioner contended that the Section 144 was also imposed during the general elections, against which the petition filed was turned down by a single bench.
He maintained that he filed an intra-court appeal against the decision of the single bench, but because of the general elections, the two-member bench constituted did not rule against the imposition of Section 144.
The petitioner argued that Section 144 was again enforced during the by-elections which, according to him, was a violation of the fundamental rights. He requested the court to void the imposition of Section 144 during the by-elections.
Later, the court reserved its decision on the petition.