LHC issues notices to federal, Punjab governments: petition filed by JuD chief

The Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued notices to federal and Punjab governments for April 25 in a petition filed by JuD Chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and his deputy Hafiz Abdur Rehman Makki, seeking protection against the US bounty on their heads.
LHC Chief Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed directed the law officers to assist the court on a point whether a country had power to announce bounty on the heads of citizens of any other independent country.
At the start of the hearing, A K Dogar advocate advanced his arguments on behalf of the petitioners and said JuD was a charitable organisation and had no nexus with Lashkar-e-Tayyaba.
The counsel argued that the US was acting on the instigation of India. He mentioned that Pakistani courts including SC and LHC, had already exonerated Saeed from all charges levelled against him by India and the US.
Therefore, the announcement of bounty on the heads of the petitioners, was liable to be withdrawn and the petitioners needed to be protected being citizens of Pakistan, Dogar said and prayed to the court to direct the government to protect the petitioners and make arrangements for their security.
After hearing the arguments, the Chief Justice sought replies form both federal and provincial governments through their law officers and adjourned the hearing till April 25.