HC asks for list of all laws containing the word Pakistan

The High Court (HC) has ordered the authorities concerned to submit a list of existing laws which contain the words Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and East Pakistan.

The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Showkat Ali Chowdhury on Sunday (May 8) issued this order after the preliminary hearing on a writ filed in public interest.

The court asked the secretary of the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division to reply to the rule within four weeks.

Supreme Court lawyer Md Robiul Alam Soikat filed the plea, while Advocate Abdullah Al Masud and Advocate Kamrul Islam moved the plea before the court.

The court asked the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division secretary to form a five-member committee to prepare a list of such laws and submit the list within 60 days, said Advocate Kamrul Islam.

At the same time, according to the law, the court has issued a ruling asking why inaction to amend the words Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and East Pakistan should not be declared illegal.

Later, lawyer Kamrul Islam said, “After the independence of the country, the Pakistani era laws were adapted. Then in the Bangladesh Laws (Revision and Declaration) Act of 1973, the words Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and East Pakistan were asked to be deleted.”

“Although these words were removed from some laws, there are still some laws containing those words. That is why the writ was filed”, he added.