LHC seeks reply from Centre on plea against changing BISP name.

LAHORE -- Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Wednesday sought a written reply from the federal government on a petition filed by the Pakistan People's Party challenging change in the name of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

PPP-Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira filed the petition being first chairman of the BISP.

Advocate Abid Saqi, who represented Mr Kaira, stated the PPP government had launched BISP in 2 aimed at providing financial assistance to the poor and deserving segments of society. He said the present government changed its name to Ehsaas Programme and that too unlawfully.

At the outset of hearing, Chief Justice Khan expressed wonder over presence of a team of federal government's law officers in the court without a notice.

It appeared that the government was showing extraordinary efficiency in the case, the chief justice said, addressing the law officers.

Deputy Attorney General Asad Ali Bajwa stated that he appeared as a notice had already been issued on a civil miscellaneous application in the case.

However, he remained unable to assist the court on the questions raised in the petition.

Expressing displeasure, Chief Justice Khan observed that the only thing which was stopping the court from issuing a stay order was possible hurdles the people could face in getting financial assistance through the programme.

To a court query, the BISP secretary said the Ehsaas Programme had been launched under BISP Act 2. He said Dr Sania Nishtar was the chairperson of the programme for which budgetary allocation was approved by the federal cabinet.

The chief Justice asked the government's legal team under what law the cabinet had the authority to do so? He also...

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