The Home Department on Monday told Lahore High Court that the Jamatud Dawa had been barred from collecting sacrificial hides on the Eidul Azha by the Interior Ministry for security reasons.
In a written reply submitted to LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, the department said the ministry had issued a code of conduct for collection of sacrificial hides under which any organisation wishing to collect hides was required to get a certificate from the DCO and the DPO concerned. It said the ministry had issued a list of proscribed organisations and directed that they should not be allowed to collect sacrificial hides.
The reply said the Jamatud Dawa and two other organisations were banned under a United Nations Security Council resolution. Therefore, they were not allowed to collect hides.
Bandial adjourned the hearing and directed the counsel for the petitioner to submit his rejoinder to the department’s reply.
The petitioner had pleaded that the impugned ban was a violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution. He said the ban was imposed a few days before the Eid that clearly showed mala fide on part of the government. He prayed to the court to set aside the ban on JD activities.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2013.