GUJRANWALA: First the government restricted the number of dishes for wedding ceremonies. Taking a step further, the Gujranwala district coordination officer (DCO) issued an order on Friday that one-dish meal would be served to not more than 300 wedding guests in banquet halls.

The order also bans the display of dowry, arms and lighting.

DCO Azmat Mahmood issued the orders under Section 144 and directed assistant commissioners and tehsil municipal officers to enforce them.

The DCO said 300 wedding guests could be served one-dish meal and the remaining, exceeding the allowed number, should be served soup, tea or cold drink.

City Assistant Commissioner Atiqur Rehman said violators would be arrested under the Marriage Act.

LHC: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik expressed his concern on Friday over a backlog of cases and urged lawyers to avoid strikes so that cases could be concluded in a short time.

He said this while addressing the District Bar Association.

Justice Malik said he had visited several districts and found people disappointed at the delayed disposal of cases. He said judges’ shortage was also a factor in the backlog of cases. He said 696 new civil judges would be appointed by September while judges’ colonies and lawyers chambers would be constructed. He advised lawyers and judges to respect each other and work to provide justice to the people at the earliest. He urged lawyers to call off their weekly two-day strike, which they have been holding for months for the establishment of an LHC bench in Gujranwala.

Justice Malik said he was aware of the demand and committees were working on it.

Judges and lawyers were present at the function.

PMA: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Gujranwala, has demanded the dissolution of the governing body of the Punjab Healthcare Commission alleging that unprofessional people have been included in the commission.

Gujranwala PMA President Dr Sajjad Mustafa told a press conference on Friday the Punjab government had promised that professional doctors and experts would be included in the governing body but later on bureaucrats and administrative officers were included in it, who were manipulating all decisions.

Private Hospitals’ Association President Dr Zahid Mehmood Mian, Dr Gulzar Chaudhry, Dr Robina Muzaffar Chattha and Dr Mudassar Rasool also spoke.

BULLET: A stray bullet fractured the leg of a girl in People’s Colony on Friday.

Police said the bullet hit Mehwish when she was on the rooftop of her house. She was rushed to District Headquarters Hospital to be referred to Mayo Hospital, Lahore, because of her serious condition.

Police are looking into the matter.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2015

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