LHC suspends orders of case registration against Babar Azam

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday suspended orders of a sessions court for registration of a case against National cricket team Skipper Babar Azam on harassment charges.

Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural passed the orders while hearing a petition filed by the skipper challenging sessions court orders.

A counsel on behalf of Babar Azam argued before the court that a sessions court had on March 18 ordered the Federal investigation Agency (FIA) for registering a case under Cyber Crime Act against his client on the charges of harassing and blackmailing Hamiza Mukhtar while disposing of her application for the purpose.

He submitted that the court passed the orders without hearing stance of his client, whereas, no reasons were provided in it.

He argued that the orders were a violation of Electronic Crimes and Investigation rules 2018.

He submitted that as per Supreme Court judgements, the justice of peace was not bound to pass the orders for case registration. Therefore, the orders were passed by the sessions court in violation of Supreme Court judgements., he added.

He pleaded with the court to set aside the orders being illegal. He requested to stop implementation of the orders till the final decision of the petition.

At this, the court suspended the orders and issued notices to FIA and Hamiza Mukhtar.

It is pertinent to mention here that the LHC had already suspended orders of a sessions court for registration of a case against skipper on charges of deceitfully maintaining sexual relations and the matter was still pending.

Previously, Hamiza had accused Azam of deceitfully maintaining sexual relations and making false promises of marriage.