ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Monday took note of a case regarding prize bond schemes across the country, saying such schemes and lotteries are tantamount to gambling, and are therein unlawful and strictly forbidden.
The chief justice said the people have completely disregarded the legal rules, and asked why the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was not doing its job. Meanwhile, Justice Tariq Pervez said lucky-draw schemes are a punishable crime, and those organising such schemes as well as those partaking in them areboth equally responsible and guilty.
During a hearing concerning prize bond schemes for new landline connections, the court took strict notice of the goings-on, and issued notices to the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) chief executive as well as the PTA, and has sought a statement from PTCL as to why the body announced its lucky-draw scheme in the first place when it was well aware that such schemes were unlawful. The PTA, meanwhile, has been served a notice asking why it has failed to uphold the rules and regulations in this regard.
Under the supervision of the chief justice, a three-member bench heard the case on the petition of one Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed who appeared before the court and complained that PTCL had announced Rs1 million lucky-draw upon installation of a new landline connection, but that no lucky-draw ever took place nor was any prize money awarded. Therein, the petitioner maintained, PTCL had committed an act of fraud with the public.
