BAHAWALPUR, Nov 12: Justice Jawad S. Khwaja of the Lahore High Court, Bahawalpur bench, has suspended the operation of the amendments to the Legal Practitioners Act made through an ordinance promulgated on Nov 6, 2004.

The judge directed that the election of the Punjab Bar Council should be held on Nov 30 as had been earlier scheduled. The amendments were suspended on a writ petition filed by Advocate Riaz Hanif, who challenged the recently amended ordinance and requested that the PBC election be held on a date earlier fixed.

The petitioner further submitted that the advocate-general was bound to hold elections by Nov 30, as the amendments were effective from the next year. The judge had summoned the Punjab AG for Nov 12, but he could not appear.

The judge suspended the amendment according to which polling for the bar council members was to be held on Dec 18, saying there was no change in the previous schedule. The next date for the hearing of writ petition has been fixed Nov 23.

JAHEZ CHEQUES: Punjab Baitul Maal Minister Chaudhry Ijaz Shafi distributed cheques of Jahez fund to the 20 deserving on behalf of the District Baitul Maal Committee at the circuit house on Friday.

The minister said on the occasion the government would provide financial help to the deserving students, widows and unemployed people. For this, he said, the amount meant for the student stipends and jahez fund had been doubled. He warned the officials of his department against corruption, saying they would not only be suspended from service but also prosecuted in a court of law.

Clarification