The Lahore High Court on Tuesday sought a written reply by February 28 from the Punjab Chief Secretary, Punjab Energy Secretary Rab Nawaz and Punjab Health Secretary Waseem Mukhtar. The reply is sought owing to written ‘derogatory proposals’ to Punjab Chief Minister against all the provincial courts in an “inquiry report” on the situation resulting from termination of an employee of EDO health office Khanewal on charge of embezzlement.
Three officers appeared before court with the Chief Secretary (CS) where the judge expressed great displeasure on the maligning report prepared by energy secretary mocking the role of courts in matters pertaining to government departments and the executive authority. The court is now going to start separate contempt of court proceedings against the officers due to the dangerous report besides a contempt case filed against them by sacked head clerk.
Punjab Advocate General Ashtar Ausaf tried to speak in defence of the SC but the court stopped him saying that the CS had not filed his written reply yet so he should have first filed his reply and then the court would have listened to his arguments in support of the officers. On this the CS requested for 10 days time for the reply, which was granted by the court. Directing him to file the reply, the judge also exempted the CS from personal appearance on next dates of hearing, while other two officers being directly linked to the report will have to appear on every hearing.
WHERE’S THE COURTESY?: The attitude and deportment of Police towards the public should be based on courtesy and amity hence, omitting the aura of formidability around them in the eyes of the common man. They should guide and assist the public, particularly the poor and helpless. These views were expressed by the Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khan Khosa during a meeting with the twenty-six member delegation of ASPs 38th STP headed by DIG (Director PTCU) M Asif Saifullah Piracha who visited at Governor House, Lahore here today.
DEATH PROBE: The judicial commission, set up to probe the deaths caused by spurious medicines of Punjab Institute of Cardiology on Tuesday summoned Secretary Home Department Punjab for February 15.
Earlier, former Secretary Health Punjab Jahanzeb Khan Barki and former Chief Executive PIC Dr Muhammad Azhar appeared before the tribunal.
LHC seeks reply from chief secy on ‘report’ against judiciary
