LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday gave last opportunity to a law officer to file a reply by October 11 in a petition praying to restrain the caretaker government from functioning beyond May 14.

Earlier, a law officer appeared before the court and sought time to file a reply on behalf of the government in a petition of a bar member Aftab Ahmad Bajwa.

The petitioner contended that the sole purpose of the caretaker government as mandated under the Elections Act, 2017 was to ensure free and fair elections.

He said during the interim period the caretaker government was empowered only to attend to day-to-day matters for a limited period of 90 days.

He said the caretaker government automatically lost its legitimacy after the time period of 90 days on May 14.

He, therefore, asked the court to declare all the function of the caretaker government beyond May 14 as illegal, void and having no sanctity in the eyes of law.

The petitioner also requested the court to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan to appoint a new caretaker government or the previous elected government be reverted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023