LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday disposed of a petition expressing the fear that the Crime Control Department (CCD) may kill a citizen from Jhang in a staged encounter, and ordered the authorities not to harass the petitioner.

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard the petition during which the CCD head, Additional Inspector General Sohail Zafar Chattha, and other officers appeared before the court.

A counsel for the petitioner stated that there are four to five individuals in his village named Muhammad Rafiq and the person the police want to arrest is not his client. The chief justice asked the counsel why the petitioner had not joined the police investigation.

The counsel claimed that the petitioner had visited the police station concerned. The chief justice observed that every life is valuable.

She disposed of the petition in light of the report presented by the CCD.

Separately, the chief justice granted time to a petitioner`s counsel to verify details regarding the alleged killing of an individual in a police `encounter`.

Tahira Bibi sought recovery of her husband, expressing fear he might be killed in a staged police encounter.

An assistant advocate general submitted a police report regarding the alleged killing of Muhammad Tanvir in an encounter.

A police official claimed that the body of the accused had been handed over to hisfamily.

However, the petitioner`s counsel contended that the family had not yet received the body.

The chief justice directed the counsel to verify the facts and adjourned the hearing.

FULL BENCH: A Lahore High Court full bench is set to hear on Wednesday (today) a petition filed by former MNA Jamshed Dasti challenging his disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the grounds of possessing fake academic credentials.

The bench is headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, comprising Justice Hassan Nawaz Makhdoom and Justice Khalid Ishaq.

Earlier, Dasti challenged the ECP decision to disqualify him before a LHC single bench at Multan bench.

The single bench referred the matter to the chief justice, recommending that a full bench should be constituted to hear the case.

The ECP had disqualified Dasti on the grounds of possessing fake educational degrees. He was elected as an independent member of the National Assembly from NA-175, Muzaffargarh.Staff Reporter