LAHORE, Oct 3: The Lahore High Court was informed on Thursday that President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool were completely impartial and not interfering in the electoral process in any manner.

This was stated by Deputy Attorney-General Bashir Bhatti and Additional Advocate-General Rana Muhammad Zahid during the hearing of the writ petition, filed by Punjab Peoples Lawyers Forum Secretary-General Mian Hanif Tahir.

Justice Raja Muhammad Sabir directed the Deputy Attorney-General and the Additional Advocate-General to submit a written reply after the petitioner expressed dissatisfaction over their oral assurance.

In his petition, advocate Tahir had accused President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool of interfering in the electoral process in favour of the PML-QA. He had sought an injunction restraining them from interference in the electoral process.

HAFIZ SAEED: The Lahore High Court observed on Thursday that a notice could be issued to the ISI in case it was impleaded as a respondent in the petition for the release of Jama’at al-Da’awa Amir Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.

Justice Chaudhry Ijaz Ahmad made the observation when advocate Nazir Ahmed Ghazi submitted that he could produce undeniable proofs that Hafiz Muhammad Saeed was in the custody of the ISI.

The al Da’awa leader was treated as a hero before Sept 11 last year but was dubbed as a villain afterwards. He said that he would withdraw his case in case the government agreed to release Hafiz Saeed.