Ombudsman permitted to hear complaints

LAHORE
A Lahore High Court division bench on Thursday suspended a single bench’s order and allowed Federal Ombudsman to hear complaints of gas and electricity consumers.
The federal ombudsman through its secretary had challenged single bench’s orders and stated that the law empowered the office of the ombudsman to take up public complaints against irregularities of the government departments.
Counsel of the secretary said the consumers were forced to bring their complaint directly to the high court after the single bench order.
The division bench suspended the impugned order and sought detailed arguments from all parties involved in the case. The bench would resume hearing on March 17.
Notice: The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notice on an application seeking disqualification of Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal after assuming the office of the acting governor.
Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah also ordered to consolidate all petitions against appointment of Speaker as acting governor. A local lawyer moved instant application in his already pending Constitution petition challenging appointment of Rana Iqbal as acting governor. Applicant said on January 30, Speaker was appointed as acting governor and it was for the first time that a notification was issued for appointment of acting governor.
He submitted that after assuming office of acting governor, Rana Iqbal rendered himself disqualified to be member of provincial assembly as under article 260 of the Constitution, he had attained the office in service of Pakistan and a government employee could not be elected or remained as member of provincial assembly.
He said, now under article 63 (d) Rana Iqbal is disqualified to be the assembly member. He said Rana Iqbal stands disqualified to be the member of assembly, so he does not qualify to be the governor of province.
Dismissed: An Additional District and Sessions Court Thursday dismissed a petition filed by a woman seeking registration of an FIR against Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s chief and others for not clearing dues they had promised to give them for participating in ‘Inqilab March’ due to want of prosecution.
The court has dismissed said petition as the petitioner did not appear before the court neither her counsel turned up.