A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday lifted the ban on the entry of 18 lawmakers of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) into the assembly session.
A bench of Justice Shahid Bilal and Justice Risal Hassan heard the petitions against the ban on 18 PML-N members from attending the meeting in the Punjab Assembly.
During the hearing Justice Shahid Bilal asked whether the petition against the ban on Rana Mashhood had become ineffective. On this Rana Mashhood’s lawyer said that the ban on 15 sessions on Rana Mashhood has been completed but the legal question remained.
Rana Mashhood’s lawyer argued that the speaker had banned 18 members of the PML-N from attending the 15 sessions but it was necessary for the speaker to give two warnings before the ban. He said that the speaker could suspend only for 15 days and the ban could not be imposed for 15 sessions.
On this the court asked the stand of the Speaker on the differences between 15 day and 15 sessions. Speaker’s lawyer said that there was a real and legal aspect to it as according to his client the petition was not maintainable.
“If the members are not barred from attending the meeting then our application has become ineffective,” the PML-N counsel said.
Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on the issue of banning the meeting of 18 members after completion of arguments. The court said that if voting will take place then these members can also participate in the vote.
