Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday restrained Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Lahore High Court ) Managing Director and the provincial government from a possible termination of its contract employees on their petitions seeking directions for regularising their services.
Abdul Qayyun Arif and 147 other employees had filed the two identical petitions submitting that Punjab government had in 2010 announced regularisation of all contract employees of BPS-1 to 16 and above by issuing a notification and, as a result, all employees of provincial departments as well as autonomous bodies were regularised. They contended that PIDA contract employees had knocked every door of government and the PIDA MD PIDA to regularise their services but in vain.
They argued the non-regularisation of their services was illegal, discriminatory and against the principles of natural justice. They requested the court issue directions to the Punjab government and PIDA MD to regularize their services.
A provincial law officer appeared before the court and submitted the reply of the Punjab chief secretary. He said all government employees, who fall under the Contract Policy 2004 should be regularized. The court was told that the PIDA MD post had been vacant for 15 years and the secretary irrigation had additional charge. At this, Justice Muhammad Khalid Mahmood Khan observed: “If PIDA has been established on permanent basis, why can its employees not be regularised?”
“Bureaucrats after studying abroad try to impose ‘English’ style in departments, but they do not know the basic problems of government employees,” the court further observed.
The court remarked that if PIDA was collecting ‘Abyana’ (water charges) from the farmers on permanent basis and receiving funds from the government, why was it denying its employees regularisation and running it like a project or PC-1. Justice Khan issued notices to PIDA MD, Punjab chief secretary, irrigation secretary and sought reports from them by March 20.
‘We forgive Nishtar Town police for son’s encounter’
Additional District & Sessions Judge Sheraz Kiani on Friday released DSP Riasat Bajwa, Sub-Inspector Riaz Ahmed, two constables Abdul Qadir and Asif Masih accused of killing Shehbaz Butt in a fake encounter. In the last proceeding, the judge had directed the tehsildar (revenue officer) to submit the list of legal heirs of deceased by January 20 through SHO Nishtar Colony after the deceased’s parents agreed to forgiving the accused officials. On Friday, a list was submitted in which the judge was ensured that Jahangir Butt and Jamila Begum are the deceased’s real parents. The orders were issued after the deceeased’s parents recorded statements in which they forgave the accused while waiving the right to Qisas and Diyat.
The details of the case are that three alleged robbers, including Shehbaz Butt, stormed Makkah Medical Store at Youhanabad a few months ago. After looting Rs 35,000, the store owner began to scuffle with Shehbaz. His two partners fled just before the owner’s brother arrived. Shehbaz fired in the air, but was captured. Two Muhafiz Squad motorcycles came and Sub Inspector Riaz took Shehbaz in custody and killed him at Rohi Nullah. When media highlighted the encounter, Principal Police Training School (PTS) Chung DIG Major (r) Mubashir Ullah held an inquiry on the IG Punjab’s orders and registered a case under sections 302/34 and 109 of PPC against four accused police officials including DSP Riasat Bajwa, Sub Inspector Muhammad Riaz and constables Asif Masih and Abdul Qadir.
‘RCS chairman barred from work
Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday stopped newly-appointed Red Crescent Society (RCS) chairman Zahid Bashir from functioning till next date of hearing on a petition challenging his appointment.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah passed the order on the petition of Liaqat Ali, Muhammad Munawar and other RCS members. Bashir was appointed chairman by the Punjab governor after removing Haji Muhammad Hanif. Appearing before the court, Bashir’s counsel submitted that the governor was authorised to remove the current RCS chairman and appoint a new one. He argued that Halal-e-Ahmer Society Act Section 5 authorised the RCS managing body to make rules and the governor can appoint the chairman. He said the managing body had created rules against the law by barring the governor from exercising his powers and the governor had issued show cause notice to the managing committee on the matter.
Appearing before the court, the petitioners counsel submitted that according to law, the governor can appoint the first chairman but not afterwards. He said the managing committee had, by amending the rules declared that its consultation was necessary to appointment the chairman. He said Hanif’s removal and Bashir’s appointment was made without consulting the committee. Justice Mansoor ordered that the managing committee will run the day-to-day affairs of the RCS while it cannot take decision on financial matters. The court adjourned the hearing for two weeks.
Shumaila Rana hearing fixed
Lahore High Court on Friday ordered the fixing Shumaila Rana’s petition seeking restoration of her Punjab Assembly seat on March 5. Justice Umar Ata Bandial passed the order accepting an application for early hearing by the petitioner. The petitioner’s counsel appearing before the court requested that it fix the pending case for hearing. Shumaila Rana had entered the Punjab Assembly speaker and several PML-N leaders as respondents in her petition. She contended that after the registration of a bogus credit card theft case against her, PML-N leaders pressurised her to resign and took resignation from her on gun point. She said Senator Pervaiz Rashid, MNA Pervaiz Malik, Secretary to Chief Minister Ajmal and MNA Khawaja Saad Rafique, Senior Advisor to CM Zulifqar Khosa and Raja Ashfaq Sarwar pressurised her into resigning. However, the trial court had acquitted her from the charges on March 1, 2010. She contended that speaker and secretary PA acted in violation of rule 35 of procedure of Punjab Assembly whereby, it was the duty of speaker to inquire about any resignation but no such inquiry was held in her case. Earlier, counsel for speaker Punjab assembly informed the court that all legal formalities were fulfilled before accepting the resignation. PML-N leaders (respondents) had also informed the LHC that no pressure was put to force her to resign.
