The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday suspended the Punjab government’s orders curtailing the contractual period of 400 school health nutritionists from five years to one year.
The petitioners through their counsel Hafiz Tariq Nasim pleaded that they were inducted in 2008 for a three-year contract in grade 17 by a selection committee on merit after qualifying a written test and interviews.
The posts were advertised properly in national newspapers and all laid down rules and regulations were fulfilled. The counsel further argued that the term of their contract was further extended from three to five years but all of sudden their term was curtailed to one year without any show-cause notice and personal hearing whereas the services of all contract employees of different departments serving in grade 17 and 18 were regularised in accordance with the chief minister’s policy and they were exempted from Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).
Hafiz Tariq Nasim while concluding arguments informed the court that in an identical case, school health nutritionists have been directed to appear before the PPSC, which he pleaded was discriminatory. After hearing the detailed arguments from either sides, Malik suspended the order.