NASIM HASAN SHAH, J.-This petition is directed against the judgment dated 4-10-1980 passed by a learned Single Judge of the Lahore High Court whereby the application under section 561-A, Cr. P.
C. For quashment of criminal proceedings pending before Mr. Muhammad Yaqub, Magistrate First Class with section 30 Powers, Lahore was rejected as premature.
2. The learned counsel for the petitioner in support of this petition has contended that the learned Magistrate did not have the jurisdiction to summon the petitioner and that the view of the learned Single Judge that the petition for quashment of the criminal proceedings was premature was not justified because the very authority of the learned Magistrate to proceed against the petitioner was challenged.
3. We do not think that the learned Judge in the High Court had com--mitted any error of law in holding that the objection whether the learned Magistrate did have the jurisdiction or not to proceed with the matter was an issue that could be raised before him and that he should determine it in the first instance i.e. Therefore, the petition for quashment was premature. We would like to observe that the learned Magistrate shall take up the objection regarding his jurisdiction in the first instance and dispose it of by a speaking order at the outset of the proceedings and it is only after he has come to the conclusion that he indeed has the jurisdiction to proceed with the matter on merits, that he may continue the proceedings.
4. This petition, with these observations, stands dismissed.