LHC dismisses petition seeking restoration of Punjab Assembly, slaps fine

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday rejected a petition filed by Sharafat Ali, seeking restoration of the dissolved Punjab Assembly. The LHC judge, Justice Shahid Kareem, presided over the case and imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000 on the petitioner for wasting the court’s time.

The Government of Punjab, through the chief secretary, and former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi were named as respondents in the case.

According to the petitioner, Elahi advised the governor to dissolve the Punjab Assembly without fulfilling the legal requirements. The former chief minister’s advice, which only consisted of one line and did not provide any reasons for the dissolution, was against constitutional requirements and court orders, according to the petition.

The petitioner requested the court to declare Elahi’s advice null and void and to restore the house. However, Justice Shahid Kareem dismissed the petition and warned the petitioner that if they sought to waive off the fine, the same Rs. 100,000 fine would be doubled by the court.