LHC summons additional chief secretary in section 144 case

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday has summoned Punjab’s additional chief secretary in PTI’s plea challenging section 144 in Lahore, ARY News reported.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former federal minister Hammad Azhar challenged the imposition of section 144 in Lahore.

The plea submitted by Sikandar Zulqarnain advocate stated that the additional chief secretary could not slap section 144 in the city, it is the prerogative of the Lahore deputy commissioner.

Terming the imposition of section 144 as ‘illegal’ by the additional chief secretary, the LHC has been pleaded to nullify the orders.

After the initial hearing on the plea, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has summoned the additional chief secretary to the court.

Section 144 was imposed by the Punjab government on Wednesday for seven days in Lahore. “In the context of the prevailing overall security situation in the wake of the recent wave of terrorism and latest threat alerts, it has been necessary to impose Section 144 of Cr.P.C, 1898 on holding of all kinds of assemblies, gatherings, sits-in, rallies, processions, demonstrations, jalsas, dharnas, protests and such like other activities across the district Lahore to avert any untoward incident,” the notification added issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Shakeel Ahmed.