Federal government challenges Lahore High Court ruling in the Constitutional Court
Islamabad: A major legal development has emerged in the case concerning Pakistan’s ban on imports from India and Israel, as the federal government has challenged the Lahore High Court’s verdict in the Constitutional Court.
A three-member bench of the Federal Constitutional Court, headed by Justice Aamer Farooq, heard the case and reserved its decision. Earlier, the Lahore High Court had declared the import ban constitutional and issued directives to the federal government, prompting the Centre to file an appeal.
During the hearing, the federal government’s counsel argued that while the import ban should remain intact, the High Court’s directives must be struck down, maintaining that policy matters fall outside the judiciary’s jurisdiction. The Additional Attorney General emphasized that courts cannot interfere in executive policy decisions.
In a related proceeding, the Constitutional Court also heard the super tax case. Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi questioned whether higher taxation on luxury vehicles had actually improved tax collection. The bench, led by Chief Justice Ameen-ud-Din Khan, continued the hearing, with counsel for fertilizer companies arguing that taxes were imposed retrospectively. Further arguments are expected in the next session.
The outcome of the import ban case is expected to have significant legal and economic implications, particularly for Pakistan’s trade and foreign policy framework.
