A three-member Supreme Court bench on Tuesday directed the Punjab government to immediately release salaries to the staff of 26 colleges, including 400 lecturers, selected by the Punjab chief minister (CM) under the pilot project. The bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez was hearing a suo motu action against the non-constitution of Board of Directors and the non-payment of salaries to the staff of 26 colleges selected by the Punjab CM under the pilot project.
The court directed the Advocate General Punjab to appear on Wednesday (today) and disclose the name of officials responsible for stopping the six month salaries of the 400 lecturers. The CJ observed the employees were protesting because their salaries were not paid. “We are surprised who is responsible to run the state functionaries? If the counsel for state is aware of this, he should let us know too”, the CJ noted with dismay. He hinted the court will send the case of responsible official to the chief secretary to initiate action in accordance with law.
Voicing its concern over the issue of non-payment of salaries to the employees of Pakistan Railways and lady health workers in Punjab province, the court ordered immediate release of salaries to the staff/ lecturers of the pilot project, preferably in the same day (Tuesday). The CJ said that under Article 9 of the Constitution, the rights of citizens were protected.
