LHC discharges contempt notice issued to AGP

LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) three-member bench Friday discharged contempt notice issued to Advocate General Punjab (AGP) Ahmad Owais over contemptuous misconduct during announcement of a verdict against new joint investigation team (JIT) on Model Town incident.

The three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan and comprising Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan and Justice Miss Aalia Neelum announced the verdict which was reserved on Thursday.

Earlier, on Thursday, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar appeared before the bench in connection with the Model Town JIT case and AGP contempt matter on being summoned by the bench.

The chief minister told the bench that Ahmad Owais had offered to tender his resignation, in response to court query.

He further submitted that new counsel/law officer would be appointed in the case after the bench noted that Ahmad Owais had failed to submit a satisfactory reply to the contempt notice.

The bench after hearing the stance of the government adjourned hearing of petitions against new Model Town JIT till April 19 enabling government to appoint a new law officer to the case.

However, the bench reserved the verdict to the extent of contempt matter against the AGP.

On March 22, the bench had suspended the notification for new JIT formed to hold afresh probe into the Model Town incident on petitions filed by two police officials involved in the matter.

The bench also issued a contempt notice to the AGP after he lodged a protest during the court proceedings over stay against the new Model Town joint investigation team without hearing the stance of the Punjab government.

Meanwhile, in a video message on Friday, AGP Ahmad Owais told that he had resigned from the slot and forwarded the resignation to authorities concerned.