Looks like someone misguided prime minister on PECA Act: IHC CJ
Remarks there’s already a defamation law other than PECA Ordinance: Directs FIA to observe SOPs
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Chief justice of Islamabad High Court has remarked that after listening to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s address Monday night it looks like somebody has misguided him on the PECA law, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Chief Justice Athar Minallah was hearing a petition filed by former president of Lahore High Court Bar Maqsood Buttar challenging the amendments to the PECA Act through a presidential ordinance. Advocate Hassan Irfan Khan appeared before the court to represent Mr Buttar.
During the hearing on Tuesday, the chief justice remarked after watching the prime minister’s address to the nation last night, it seemed that somebody ill-advised him on the PECA Act as he wasn’t aware that there was already a law against defamation apart from the PECA Ordinance.
“Nobody guided the premier regarding this law,” the judge observed. He sent a notice to the attorney general on the request of the petitioner.
The chief justice also ordered to combine the ex-president LHCBA’s petition with other petitions challenging the amendments to the PECA Act.
Advocate Khan told the court that his client’s petition raised two new points that were different from other petitions. He argued that the Federal Investigation Agency did not have the authority to look into an affair between two parties. He said that the agency could probe only those cases which pertained to the federal government.
He further argued that even Islam allows freedom of expression. .
On this, Justice Minallah asked the FIA to observe the SOPs.
With this, the judge put off the hearing till March 10.
Reporter Ehtisheam Kiyani