LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday disposed of a petition moved by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) seeking a restraining order against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from heading any office or meeting of the PML-N after his disqualification.

PAT Secretary GeneralKhurram Nawaz Gandapur had filed the petition pleading that Mr Sharif could not head any political party under the Political Party Order 2002 af ter his disqualification by the Supreme Court in Panama case.

Petitioner`s counsel Ishtiaq Ahmad Chaudhry argued that Mr Sharif after his disqualification presided over a meeting of the PML-N parliamentary committee on July 29 last in Islamabad, which was a clear violation of the law.

The counselfurther argued the former prime minister could noteven become a member of any political party after the disqualification but he continued to head meetings of his party in violation of the law. He asked the court to order the ECP to restrain Mr Sharif from chairing or heading meetings of his political party in future or holding any office.

ECP Legal Director Umar Hayat told the court that the commission had already taken cognizance of the matter and issued a direction to the PML-N chairman to make arrangements for election of the party`s new president. He said the ECP fixed Aug 21 to hear the point of view of PAT and PTL In the light of the ECP reply, Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah disposed of the petition.

NOTICE TO ECP: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on a petition seeking disqualification of three members of the Punjab Assembly belonging to the PML-N.Zubair Niazi, a local leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), filed the petition against the MPAs -Majid Zahoor, Khwaja Imran Nazir and Waheed Gull.

Representing the petitioner, Advocate Sheraz Zaka argued that the respondent MPAs had been working as directors of the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) owned by the Punjab government and getting allowances, salaries.

The counsel said a public office holder could not receive remuneration/salary or allowances from any government-owned company.

He argued that the respondents were not eligible to be assembly members for being appointed as LWMC directors.

He asked the court to invoke provisions of Article 63 of the Constitution and disqualify the respondents.

Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh heard the arguments and issued a notice to the ECP for Oct 4.