The Lahore High Court has summoned caretaker prime minister Anwarul Haq Kakar in his personal capacity in a case of allegedly revised translation of the holy Quran.
Besides the PM, the caretaker chief minister of Punjab and the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) have also been summoned by the court over the federal and provincial governments’ “non-serious” attitude towards the case.
The case deals with the publication of allegedly distorted translation of the holy Quran.
Hearing a petition by Hassan Moavia regarding non-implementation of the court’s earlier orders, the LHC said the federal government has not received a report for eight months. At this, the federal government lawyer said he will submit the repots.
Chief Justice Shujaat Ali Khan suggested the country’s chief executive should be summoned to answer the court’s queries.
It appears that the issue has not been placed before the caretaker prime minister.
The lawyer asked for some time to respond.
The CJ said if the government was serious, it would have definitely submitted a report. He then summoned the caretaker PM Kakar to explain his position.
The court had previously ordered to restrain the Ahmadi community from allegedly publishing a ‘distorted’ translation of the holy Quran, and using names of Sunni Muslim authors for it.
The petitioner has alleged that the Ahmadi community was shipping the copies of the altered Quran abroad.
Previously, the court had observed that the federal and provincial governments must ensure the availability of a standard copy of the holy Quran along with its “literal meaning, at Federal, Provincial, District and Tehsil levels”, approved by the respective Quran boards.
Later, issuing its written order, the Lahore High Court stated that the court did not have any other option but to summon the caretaker prime minister and the chief minister.
The verdict stated that the federal government lawyer and the provincial government officers were not issuing a policy statement on the issue. Therefore, the court did not have any option but to summon the caretaker PM and Punjab CM.
The written order stated that the PM and CM should appear in court and announce a policy regarding implementation of court orders.
The proceedings were adjourned till October 16.
The high court office should forward the copies of the order to the prime minister and chief minister.
