LHC seeks govt reply on petition against barriers outside Shahbaz's house

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the provincial government, Inspector General of Punjab police and other officials on a petition seeking removal of barriers outside Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s house in Model Town.

A bench of the LHC directed the official respondents to submit their replies to the petition filed by a resident of Model Town by next hearing.

The petitioner complained to the judges that barriers have been erected outside the residence of the chief minister in the name of security, causing hardships to the residents of the area.

These barriers have been there for over six years, virtually turning the neighborhood into a no-go area, he added.

The petitioner pleaded with the court to issue directives for the authorities to remove barriers outside the CM’s Model Town secretariat and clear the way for free movement of public as guaranteed by the Constitution.

On Sunday, the Supreme Court directed the provincial government to immediately remove security barriers placed outside the residence of PML-N MNA Hamza Shahbaz.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, gave this direction while hearing a suo motu case pertaining to blockade of roads at the apex court’s Lahore registry.

The bench came down hard on the Punjab chief secretary for flouting its orders with regard to removal of street barriers from outside the lawmaker’s residence.

He informed that a security gate installed near the Hamza’s house was removed, but barriers were still there for security purposes.

The chief justice had directed him to remove all security barriers outside the ruling party’s MNA.

He said he would travel to the street in his private car to ascertain whether or not the court order was complied with.