LAHORE, Dec 28: Justice Ali Baqar Najafi of the Lahore High Court on Friday sought a reply from the inspector general of Punjab police on a petition filed by a prisoner fearing his execution in an encounter.

Umar Iqbal, imprisoned at Faisalabad Jail, submitted through his counsel that the police had planned to kill him in a fake encounter. He claimed the encounter would be staged on the day of his appearance before the trial court.

His counsel prayed to the court to issue directions to the police not to kill his client but protect his life.

Justice Najafi directed the IG to submit a reply by Jan 2 and also ensure protection of the petitioner.

Directive to CCPO

The Lahore High Court on Friday directed the capital city police officer (CCPO) to submit a report about whereabouts of an alleged missing Canadian national Sikh woman, Rajvindar Kaur Gill.

A citizen, Sikandar Gill, filed a petition for the recovery of the missing lady. His counsel informed the court that Ms Gill arrived in Pakistan on Aug 25, 2012, to attend an exhibition of diamonds in Lahore, but she went missing.

The counsel said her family made hectic efforts to find her but failed. He prayed to the court to direct the police to recover the Sikh woman and produce her before the court.

After hearing the initial contention, Justice Sheikh Najamul Hasan issued a notice to the CCPO and directed him to file a report by Dec 31.

Pleas dismissed

The Lahore High Court on Friday dismissed petitions of former actress Babra Sharif and others challenging an operation launched by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) against encroachments on MM Alam Road, Gulberg.

The petitioners pleaded that the LDA in the name of road widening project started bulldozing their properties. They said the respondent authority marked outer portion of their houses as encroachment and was going to demolish their properties.

Opposing the petitions, the counsel for the LDA argued that the marked portions of the petitioners’ properties were not part of their houses but illegally constructed structures. He said only illegal properties were being bulldozed to expand MM Alam Road.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah dismissed the petitions and allowed the LDA to continue its operation against encroachments.