The Lahore High Court on Tuesday called for a reply from federal and provincial government on a petition challenging handed over administrative control of Sheikh Zayed Hospital (SZH) and Sheikh Zayed Post Graduate Medical College from federal government to the Punjab government. As many as 110 faculty members of the hospital and the college had filed petition through Advocate Hamid Khan against this dissolution. Advocate Khan submitted that the hospital and the college had special status as it was a trust established by the rulers of Abu Dhabi who uptil now sent grant to run the hospital through the federal government. Dr Zafar Iqbal, chairman of SZH, presented trust deed before the court. The court issuing notices to the government sought a report till April 11 on the matter. secretary general paramedical staff association SZH told the court that ZAH was a trust as it had been gifted to former Prime Minister ZA Bhutto by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan ul Nihan in 1973. He said a trust could not be given in full government control like other medical colleges of Punjab.
MERIT-LESS ADVISERS’ APPOINTMENT: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Punjab government on a petition challenging appointment of advisors on hefty salaries on political grounds. Justice Umar Ata Bandial ordered the Punjab government to file its reply by May 02, the next date of hearing. The judge issued this order on a petition of Advocate Rana Mehtab challenging the appointments. He asked the government to accommodate its ‘blue eyed’, that they had ostensibly appointed advisors against hefty amounts and benefits. He said they were unnecessary burden on the national exchequer. Due to financial crunch, it has become hard to run the provincial matters and that the government had further burdened the exchequer to accommodate its political workers. He prayed the court to declare the all appointments of unnecessary advisors illegal and he also prayed for direction for the government not to make such appointments in future.
