LAHORE, Dec 13: Hearing a petition seeking direction for the government to use “lie detecting machine” on Pakistan’s former ambassador to US Husain Haqqani to know truth in the memogate scandal, the Lahore High Court on Tuesday asked the petitioner’s counsel to convince the court whether the machine was an authentic gadget to make a person speak true.

Earlier Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafree, the petitioner’s counsel, informed the court that many developed countries had been using the machine to solve high-profile cases. He insisted that the machine gave best results.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial adjourned hearing till Dec 19 and asked the counsel to come up with convincing arguments whether the government could rely on the use of the said machine.

A citizen, Iftikhar Rajpoot filed this petition and said the alleged act of Haqqani had tarnished the image of Pakistan and its armed forces and attempted to pledge national sovereignty to the US.

He said Haqqani was holding dual nationality of Pakistan and US. He said in the past Haqqani was appointed Pakistan’s ambassador to Sri Lanka in violation of merit by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Later, he (Haqqani) changed his party and joined ‘Zardari Group’ and became Pakistan’s ambassador to the US again in violation of merit.

He also accused Haqqani of wasting and minting huge amount of public money ($5 million) in unsuccessful defence of Dr Aafia Siddiqui before the US courts.

The petitioner said in order to reveal the truth the lie detecting machine be applied on Haqqani and other politicians. He requested the court to direct the respondent to declare his national and foreign assets along with affidavits.

He also sought Haqqani’s name to be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), however, later withdrew when a law officer told the court that the Supreme Court had already restrained the former ambassador from leaving the country.

Khosa: A lawyer has filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court praying to disqualify Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa for his alleged involvement in political activities and misuse of government funds.

Advocate Afaq Ahmad alleged in the petition that the respondent governor was violating his constitutional limits and had been frequently witnessed indulging in political activities. He said the governor who belonged to southern Punjab was utilising government funds for this part of the province as the parliamentary committee of his party (PPP) had passed a resolution for establishing another province comprising southern portion of Punjab.

The petitioner prayed to the court to take notice of the illegal acts on the part of the governor and declare him ineligible to hold the office.