LAHORE: Justice Shahid Karim of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday sought meetings’ minutes presided over by Khwaja Ahmad Hassan during his previously held offices as the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) vice chairman and Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) chairman.
The court directed the Punjab government to submit detail of meetings until December 5. The court was hearing a petition asking as to why Khwaja Ahmad Hassan was attending official meetings as Lahore mayor when he was only elected Union Council-107 chairman.
Petitioner’s counsel contended that Kh Hassan was only elected UC chairman but was heading the official meetings for which only the mayor was authorised. He submitted that a petition against election of Kh Hassan was pending and he was holding meetings as city mayor.
He pleaded that Kh Hassan was not eligible to hold the office of union council chairman and to contest election for city mayor as he had resigned from his offices at different statutory bodies just one day before filing of the nomination papers for local government elections. He submitted that Kh Hassan had served as LDA vice chairman, PIC chairman Lahore Metro Bus Authority and Orange Line Metro Train Authority chairman before going for the election.
Giving support to his petition, he mentioned Section 27 of the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 which states, “If a person is in service of a statutory body whether the function is an office of profit or not, he still cannot contest elections unless a period of two years elapsed after leaving the office.”
He said that it was a violation the constitution and also burden on the public exchequer. He added that Kh Hassan was also enjoying perks and privileges.
He requested the court to restrain Kh Hassan from attending the official meetings. He also requested the court to call a record of expenditures incurred on meetings of Kh Hassan.
The government’s counsel in reply said that the positions previously held by his client were honorary and did not put any bar in terms of vying for election. He said that the petition was misconceived and should be dismissed.
