IHC directs PMLN's lawyer to approach NA speaker for Khawaja Asif's production orders

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directed the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)’s lawyer to approach the Speaker National Assembly to resolve matter pertaining to the production orders for Khawaja Asif.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that this court couldn’t issue instructions to speaker of lower house. The court had written in its orders that this court couldn’t interfere in political matters.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case filed by PML-N’s leader and chairman Public Accounts Committee Rana Tanvir Hussain seeking production orders for Khawaja Asif.

The court remarked that in a democratic regime political matters shouldn’t bring into courts.

Petitioner’s lawyer Barrister Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha said that production orders had been issued but secretary national assembly was not implementing it to this the chief justice remarked that how it was possible that secretary was not implementing orders of speaker NA.

To a query of bench, the lawyer said that they had given four applications to speaker NA but production orders were not issued.

Justice Minallah remarked that it was the responsibility of political leadership to give respect to the most important NA’s Public Accounts Committee. If the court was giving respect to NA and its body then everyone should honor it, he further said.

The chief justice said that the court was not issuing notices to NA keeping in view its respect. He asked the petitioner to give application to speaker NA otherwise there were more forums available to them. The court even couldn’t give notice to public accounts committee, he said.

The lawyer said that the Public Accounts Committee had issued four notices for production orders for Khawaja Asif but it was not implemented.

The chief justice asked Barrister Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha to meet speaker NA to sort out the matter and remarked that giving respect to the Parliament was actually the respect of people of Pakistan.

The chief justice further remarked that whenever this court referred any matter, the speaker NA addressed it.

The lawyer said that they would approach this court again if speaker didn’t hear them.

He prayed the court to also grant 15 days time to submit miscellaneous case regarding the matter. The court accepted the request and adjourned hearing till February 23.