LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking reinstatement of special courts established under the Protection of Pakistan Act (Popa).

Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza observed that the matter raised in the petition was a policy affair of the government and hence it was not maintainable.

Advocate Ghazi llamuddin had filed the petition saying the federal government promulgated the Protection of Pakistan Act in 2014 to curb terrorism in the country.

He said special courts were also established for the trial of terrorists charged under the law.

However, he said, the government did not extend the law after its two-year term expired in 2016 leading to the suspension of the special courts.

The lawyer argued that the courts made under Popa should be re-established since the menace of terrorism was yet to be eradicated.-Staff Reporter