Karachi: Sindh High Court SHC on Wednesday put off the hearing of petition against the then Federal Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan after the federal law officer submitted comments on behalf of Dr Awan.
Advocate Zamir Ghumro, on behalf of petitioner Jawed Langah had submitted that his client had applied for Audit Bureau of Circulation ABC certification of his magazine to the provincial information department that declined his application saying that the function was performed by the federal information ministry.
He had submitted federal information minister was occupying the office and exercising executive authority within the province of Sindh without lawful authority because the subjects administered by her were solely provincial matters under Article 142 of the Constitution.
Advocate Ghumro had stated that various functions and institutions of provincial departments had been retained by the federal government after the abolition of various ministries at the centre under the 18th Amendment.
He had stated that institutions like EOBI, Passco, functions of collection and distribution of Zakat and Ushr, plant protection, the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, the Pakistan Medical Research Council, Nursing Council, Pharmacy Council, Tobacco Control Cell, Workers Welfare Fund and a host of other organizations and functions had been unlawfully retained by the federal government on different pretexts.
He had submitted that the federal minister was liable to be removed forthwith as she was holding the office in clear violation of the Constitution.
He had prayed to the court to issue a writ of quo-warranto against Federal Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan as she was holding office of the federal minister for information and exercising powers without any lawful authority and in violation of the Constitution.
A division bench headed by Chief Justice Mushir Alam put off the hearing.