Latest news with #LahoreHighCourtBarAssociation
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
End of Consumer Courts puts fair trade at risk
At high tax rates, profit margins for sellers decrease, leaving them with options to pass on the burden to consumers, compromise on the quality of products, evade taxes or find cheaper illicit goods. photo: file As the government announces the closure of 17 consumer courts, cases of more than 15,000 consumers will be transferred to the sessions judge's courts, where millions of cases are already pending for years. The Consumer Protection Act has been in place since 2005, under which 1,500 to 2,000 consumers from Punjab used to approach the consumer courts every month, seeking justice for defective products, unfair contracts or poor service. These courts were functioning across 17 different districts including Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rawalpindi, Sialkot. Gujrat, Gujranwala, Bahawalpur. Sargodha, Faisalabad. Bhakkar, Bahawalnagar, Layyah, Mianwali, Rahim Yar Khan and Mandi Bahauddin. Faisal Khan, Amjad Ali and Mashaq Lodhi, revealed that they had filed cases in the consumer court for a faulty fridge, AC and computer, however, the company was not ready to pay damages. 'Now, after the abolishment of consumer courts, we will be stuck waiting for years,' said the three plaintiffs. Similarly, Tariq Rashid, another plaintiff, shared that he had filed a case against an LED supplier in the consumer court. 'The case has been going on for years, but the company does not show up. Now, we have come to know that the court has been abolished and the cases will go to the sessions court next month,' lamented Rashid. Sympathizing with the consumers, Khizar Iqbal, an advocate representing consumer's cases, pointed out the fact that district courts were already overburdened with cases. 'The number of pending cases across the province amounts to lakhs. In such a situation, if a law transfers the work of consumer courts to local courts, consumers will be deprived of timely justice,' emphasized Iqbal. According to Former Vice President Lahore High Court Bar Association Rabia Bajwa, consumer courts were serving the purpose of ensuring fair trade to buyers across Punjab, who were given a chance to voice their complaints. 'Instead of transferring consumer cases to the overburdened lower courts, the consumer courts should have been improved. Unfortunately, however, the system is not interested in protecting the fundamental socio-economic rights of the people. Little relief and some degree of justice was being given to people through consumer courts but now this too will not happen,' said Bajwa. Records obtained by The Express Tribune have revealed that during the past 18 years since the Consumer Act 2007 was passed, more than 90,000 cases have been filed in the consumer courts of the province, out of which more than 72,000 have been resolved. Furthermore, the Directorate of Consumer Protection Council Punjab reported that a total of 17,970 cases were filed in the existing consumer courts in the last three years alone, on which more than Rs1 billion was spent. Rao Muhammad Afzal, Assistant Director Consumer Protection Council Punjab, revealed that the amount spent on one case, Rs117,167, was becoming a huge burden on the treasury. 'Nearly Rs152 million has been spent resolving more than 1,514 cases from 2022-23. 'The transfer of cases from consumer courts to local courts will reduce government expenditure,' said Afzal. Conversely, Amina Malik, Head of an NGO advocating for consumer rights, opposed Afzal's views. 'Additional expenditures should not be a concern since it is the responsibility of the government to spend money on issues involving public welfare. The only problem with these courts was that despite being established for 20 years, the common people were not aware of their existence,' noted Malik.
India.com
07-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Eid al-Adha Crackdown: Why Ahmadis In Pakistan To Be Fined Rs 1.5 lakh If They Make Animal Sacrifice, Offer Namaz?
Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has asked Punjab Police to prohibit the Ahmadiyya community from carrying out Eid al-Adha rituals, such as namaz and animal sacrifice, calling them specifically for Muslims. Offenders will be imposed fines of PKR 5 lakh (₹1.5 lakh) or legal proceedings, heightening tensions leading up to Eid al-Adha (June 6-10). LHCBA's Directive And Legal Context The LHCBA's letter to the Punjab Police Chief categorises Ahmadis as a non-Muslim minority under Pakistan's Constitution, invoking the Penal Code and Supreme Court decisions that exclude them from employing Islamic symbols or practices. The association accuses Ahmadis of hosting Eid functions in the pattern of Islamic practices, contravening legal prohibitions. Ahmadis have been compelled into signing affidavits swearing they would not conduct Bakrid rituals in Punjab, in continuation of a 2023 ruling barring them from calling themselves Muslims. Rising Violence And Threats At least three Ahmadis have been killed since April, and numerous others are harassed, says DAWN. In cities such as Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Sialkot, authorities have issued directives, including detention, to stop Ahmadis from celebrating Eid 2025. Amnesty International has criticised these actions, and Deputy Regional Director Isabelle Lassee has condemned Pakistan for its inability to safeguard Ahmadis' religious freedom, labeling the restrictions discriminatory. Ahmadi Identity Debate Ahmadis consider themselves to be Muslims, following mainstream Islamic principles but regarding Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as a Messiah and prophet, something rejected by traditional Muslims who see Muhammad as the last prophet. Ahmadis are also prohibited from making Hajj or Umrah and traveling to Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Concerns Amnesty International has demanded a stop to the "harassment and violence" faced by Ahmadis, calling upon Pakistani authorities to protect their right to religious freedom. The organization's survey of police orders in five districts documents a concerted attempt to suppress Ahmadi practice, sparking international concern about religious persecution in Pakistan.
India.com
06-06-2025
- Politics
- India.com
SHOCKING! Over 5 lakh Muslims in Pakistan barred from celebrating Bakrid due to...; Maryam Nawaz govt imposes restrictions on...
Ahmadis are not considered Muslims under Pakistani law. (File) Ahmadiyya Muslims: While Pakistan claims to be an 'Islamic Republic' and often touts itself as the flag bearer of Islam, more than five lakh Muslims in the country have been barred from celebrating the Bakrid festival, and performing Islamic rituals on the auspicious day. According to media reports, the Lahore High Court Bar Association has written a letter to the Punjab Police, demanding a strict ban on the Ahmadiyya Muslim community from performing various Islamic rituals on Bakrid, including performing Qurbani (ritual sacrifice) and Eid prayers. Ahmadis not Muslims, can't be allowed to celebrate Bakrid, says LHCBA In its letter, the LHCBA has asserted that Bakrid is a Muslim festival, and only who are legally considered Muslims, can perform religious rituals on the occasion. Ahmadis are not considered Muslims under Pakistani law, which means they are barred from using symbols and practices that are regarded as Islamic in nature. The LHCBA claimed that Ahmadis are violating the Pakistani Constitution and hurting the religious sentiments of ordinary Muslims by using Islamic symbols and rituals which are meant for those who are legally considered Muslims under the law. The Bar Association alleged that the Ahmadis are acting the Constitution of Pakistan, the Penal Code and the decisions of the Supreme Court, and demanded the Punjab Police to prevent gatherings of Ahmadiyya community on Bakrid. 'Strict action must be taken against members of the Ahmadiyya community who participate in Islamic activities or perform Muslim rituals like Qurbani on Eid,' they said. Ahmadis forced to sign affidavits Meanwhile, the Maryam Nawaz-led government in Pakistan's Punjab province has allegedly forced Ahmadiyya Muslims to sign affidavits that bars the persecuted Muslim sect from performing any Islamic rituals on Bakrid. According to the Punjab Home Department, under a 2023 notification, people from the Ahmadiyya community have filled affidavits and immunity bonds, in which they have promised not to perform Eid prayers, sacrifice, or use Islamic symbols or rituals on Eid. Any violation of the affidavit/bond invites heavy fines and even jail time under sections 298-B and 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which prohibits the Islamic identity and religious expressions of Ahmadis. Human rights groups have decried these diktats imposed on the Ahmadiyya community, stating that these violate the religious and basic rights of the Ahmadis, and are an attack on religious freedom. There are around 500,000 (5 lakh) Ahmadis in Pakistan. The community is considered as one of the most persecuted religious groups in the country.
Express Tribune
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Petition urges ECP to disqualify Gandapur
A petition has been filed in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) seeking the disqualification of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur over the issuance of a Rs50 million cheque to the Lahore High Court Bar Association. The petition, submitted by Advocate Arsalan Afridi, argues that the chief minister allocated the funds to a bar association outside his own province, which constitutes a misuse of provincial resources and a breach of trust.
Express Tribune
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PPPP protests Rs50m grant to Lahore Bar
The Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) has strongly protested the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister's decision to allocate a grant of Rs50 million to the Lahore High Court Bar Association. In response, the party has submitted a formal 'Call Attention Notice' in the K-P provincial assembly. The notice was submitted to the Assembly Secretariat by PPPP Parliamentary Leader, Ahmad Karim Kundi. It states that the provincial government, in its upcoming cabinet meeting, has placed the proposed grant for the Lahore High Court Bar Association as the last item on the agenda. The notice raises serious concerns, questioning the government's priorities in light of the current challenges faced by K-P. The province is grappling with deteriorating law and order conditions as well as a worsening economic crisis. Under such circumstances, the notice argues, it is unjustifiable for the provincial leadership to approve such a large sum from K-P's resources for an institution based in another province. "The Chief Executive of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has no justification for allocating provincial funds to political bodies or institutions outside the province," Kundi stated. The PPPP has demanded a clear explanation from the provincial government regarding its stance and the rationale behind this financial decision. On the other hand, Senator Wali Khan condemned the move, accusing the K-P government of misusing taxpayers' money by distributing it among 'political friends of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).'
