Zardari's dual office case: LHC issues notice to Pak President

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Amid controversy over Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's dual office, the Lahore High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to him to explain by September 14 why he had not followed its direction to relinquish the political post of co-chairman of the ruling PPP.

A four-judge bench headed by the High Court Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial issued the notice to the President through his Principal Secretary.

"We ask the President to tell the court as to why he did not follow the High Court's direction of leaving political office of his party," Bandial said.

He further said: "The President should inform the court if he thinks that the petition against his holding of two offices is not maintainable."

The petition challenging the holding of two offices by Zardari was to be heard by a five-member bench but one of the judges, Mansoor Ali Shah, went on leave hours before the hearing.

Additional Attorney General Abdul Hai Gilani and lawyer Wasim Sajjad represented the federal government during the hearing. Gilani told the court that Attorney General Irfan Qadir was to appear before the bench but he had to go to Balochistan in connection with another crucial case. "The Attorney General will appear in the next hearing to file a reply," he said.