PHC suspends notification on cases against PDM leaders
Pakistan
PHC suspends notification on cases against PDM leaders
PESHAWAR (Dunya News) - The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday suspended the notification of the provincial cabinet of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) regarding registration of cases against the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership for hate speech.
In this regard, PHC issued notices to the KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, the provincial government and the cabinet and directed them to respond by September 13.
It may be recalled that the KP provincial government s notification for the empowerment of a government official in Dera Ismail Khan district to register cases against the leaders of PDM on the charge of spreading hate against state institutions was challenged in PHC.
Senior lawyer Shabbir Hussain Gigyani filed the petition on Wednesday requesting the court to declare null and void the Aug 9 notification of the provincial government as it is illegal.
According to the petition, the provincial cabinet misinterpreted Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and empowered Additional Assistant Commissioner (AAC) Dera Ismail Khan to register cases against the PDM leaders.
The petition sought suspension of the notification and contended that Section 196 does not empower any officer to register an FIR.
