The Lahore High Court on Thursday prohibited the use of Punjab University’s (PU) funds for laptop distribution ceremony being held by Punjab government on today at the varsity’s Quaid-e-Azam Campus.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial passed the order on a plea filed by C. Nazir Ahmad against use of university funds for the laptop distribution ceremony, which, he said, was a political show of a political party.
The court also issued notice to the Punjab government and PU vice chancellor for April 12 and sought report in this matter.
During hearing of the case, petitioner’s counsel Advocate Aftab Ahmad Bajwa stated that the VC, without the permission of PU syndicate, had sanctioned a supplementary grant of Rs 30 million to make arrangements for the ceremony. He submitted the VC is arranging the function to oblige Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N President Mian Nawaz Sharif by inviting them as chief guest.
He said banners had been displayed in the university along with the photographs of the CM and Nawaz Sharif which showed the malafide intentions of the respondent, the VC who is turning the function into a political show of CM’s party. The petitioner had sought departmental action against the VC who was misusing the funds. The court after hearing the arguments barred the use of university funds for the ceremony and asked the VC and other respondents to file reply by April 12 on questions raised in the petition.
