LHC adjourns petitions against new province till 13th

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of petitions against proposed Bahawalpur Junoobi Punjab province till February 13 after making president's message for formation of commission regarding province issue, a part of record.

Justice Muhammad Khalid Mehmood Khan was hearing the
petitions filed by Advocate Munsif Awan and others.

Earlier, Additional Attorney General Abdul Hai Gillani appeared before the court and presented a copy of president's message for formation of the commission.

The court directed to place it on record and adjourned the matter till February 13 for arguments.

The petitioners, in their petition, submitted that the president, prime minister and speaker National Assembly did not have authority to form a parliamentary commission regarding provinces issue.

They said that only parliament could change boundary of a province but it was necessary to first amend Article 1 of the constitution.

The petitioners said that parliamentary committee in its recommendations had included the name of Mianwali district into the proposed province which was not acceptable to the people of the district.

They pleaded the court to set aside the commission report
after declaring it against the constitution and law.