LAHORE: A Lahore High Court full bench on Wednesday expressed dismay over a lack of response from Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan to court’s notices on petitions against their sit-ins.

A law officer stated that notices had not been served on Mr Qadri as the bench headed by Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan resumed hearing on the petitions. Justice Shahid Hameed Dar and Justice Muhammad Anwarul Haq were other members on the bench.

The officer said Mr Qadri was not available at his Model Town residence and the notices were not being received.

Justice Khan observed it was surprising that service of the notice to a person who addressed public meetings daily had become an uphill task. The judge directed the official concerned to ensure service of the notice to Mr Qadri either in dharna (Islamabad) or at residence (Lahore).

An associate of Imran Khan’s counsel appeared in court and sought more time to file a reply to the petitions.

The bench adjourned further hearing till Oct 20 and issued fresh notices to the respondent leaders.

Earlier, Advocate A.K Dogar, representing the petitioners, argued that Khan and Qadri took out their Azadi and Inqilab marches respectively in violation of an order passed by the full bench. He said the respondents by ignoring the order exposed themselves to proceedings under contempt of court charges.

Hearing another petition for putting a ban on the PAT, the bench summoned the Punjab home secretary to explain unavailability of a judicial inquiry report about a life attempt on Dr Qadri some 23 years ago.

Earlier, a written reply submitted on behalf of the secretary stated that the inquiry report was not available with the government. The bench directed the secretary to appear in person on next hearing.

A citizen, Amjad Ali, filed the petition saying Dr Qadri had been trying to create anarchy in the country by delivering provocative speeches at public gatherings. He said the PAT leader caused an unrest and also risked law and order situation.

The petitioner alleged that the PAT workers restored to violent activities and tortured policemen in Islamabad. He said the right to express was not unbridled but subject to certain laws. He asked the court to put a ban on the PAT for being involved in violent and unconstitutional activities.

He pointed out that a judicial commission headed by Justice Akhtar Hussain of the LHC had declared the murder attack on Dr Qadri a drama.

harassment: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday directed Ghaziabad police to take action on an application of a woman who accused her former husband of harassing her and tracking her movement.

Sughran of Harbanspura claimed in her petition that her former husband, Saleem, used to torture her and forced her into prostitution. She said she left him due to his behaviour.

The petitioner alleged that Saleem along with his accomplices abducted her and gave her sedatives after which she passed out. She claimed they took her to a local hospital and had doctors insert a tracking device in her body through a surgery.

She further said her former husband was now keeping a check on her movement and blackmailing her.

Sughran said a district and sessions court had dismissed her petition for registration of a criminal case against Saleem. She asked the court to order police to lodge a first information report and arrest him.

Justice Kazim Raza Shamsi disposed of the petition with a direction to police to take up her application and act in accordance with law.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2014