CJP says won’t let contractual hiring system run in Pakistan

• Chief Justice Nisar asks under which law retired officers are earning more money than high court judges
• FIA, NAB to probe recognition process of private medical colleges
• CJP Nisar says will ban govt doctors’ private practices if govt pays ‘hefty’ salaries 

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday said that the court won’t let ‘contractors like East India Company’ run the country as he sought details of the privileges of executive officials in a case pertaining to the recruitments in Pakistan strategic management and internal response unit.

The CJP had taken a suo muto regarding the hefty salaries being paid to the retired officials and directed chief secretary to submit details of privileges and salaries being given to the officers in all companies.

The court collected all the details of the chief executive directors and other officials’ lucrative salaries. After going through the details, the CJP inquired: “Under which law the retired personnel are earning more salaries than high courts’ judges?” and added that the courts won’t let the contractual system run in the country.

The court also summoned financial details of the Drug Testing Laboratory’s official, hired from the private sector. “The Punjab government created 50 companies,” the chief secretary informed the court.

To this, the chief justice rebutted: “You have handed everything over to the private sector. Resign from the government if you can’t do your job. We won’t let the tax payer’s money go to waste.”

EXORBITANT COLLEGE FEES:

In a separate case, the apex court ordered a probe into the recognition process of private medical colleges during the tenure of Dr Asim Hussain besides a return of excessive fee to students within one month.

A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the recognition given to private medical colleges during the tenure of former president of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), Dr Asim Hussain, and submit a report within one month.

The probe was ordered when Dr Asim requested the bench to exempt the University of Health Sciences (UHS) and the PMDC from refunding the excess fee.

Regarding the private colleges’ fee plan, the bench directed that fee above than Rs 850,000 should be refunded to the students and the colleges which fail to follow the suit should be investigated.

The court also ordered the colleges to accommodate some students, who deserved admission on merit but could not get admission to any public or private sector colleges.

As the proceedings began, a representative of Pak Red Crescent Medical College submitted that all fee, received in excess of Rs 850,000, had been refunded to students in compliance with the court orders. He also requested the court to order de-sealing of the college record.

At this, the chief justice observed that he would also order all private medical colleges, except for Aga Khan Medical College, to refund the additional fee.

He directed the FIA to de-seal the college record, besides restraining the agency from raiding any private medical college without permission from the SC Registrar.

To a court query, an FIA representative briefed the court that it had prepared a copy of Pak Red Crescent College record in compliance with the court orders, and the same was being investigated.

The acting vice chancellor of the UHS, Prof Dr Faisal Masood, submitted a report for accommodation of students who fulfilled the merit but could not get admission in any public or private medical colleges. Those students could be accommodated in private medical colleges of Punjab by increasing five seats in each college, he suggested. At this, the bench ordered the colleges to accommodate the students within one week’s time.

It may be mentioned that the chief justice had ordered for sealing the Pak Red Crescent College record and refunding the fee after a visit to the college two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the bench disposed of an application against the construction of a grid station in Journalist Housing Society, Harbanspura, after a Lahore Press Club representative informed the court that the body did not have any objection over its construction.

Earlier, the bench was apprised that 35 kanal was sanctioned by the Journalist Housing Foundation board in accordance with the law for the construction of grid station, on the recommendation of Lahore Electric Supply Company.

DOCTORS’ HIRING:

The chief justice also took sou moto notice of doctors hired on lucrative salaries in the newly built liver transplant centre. The court also asked for details of hospitals being run via the Tayyip Erdogan transit.

“Under which law are doctors in government hospitals being paid Rs200,000 and in state-of-the-art hospitals paid around Rs1,200,000?” the chief justice questioned.

Government doctors are also conducting private practices, the chief secretary informed the court.

“Pay hefty salaries to government doctors. We will issue a notification, banning their private practices immediately,” the CJP said.

“What is the fault of the doctors who work hard in the government hospitals?” he further questioned the chief secretary. “Why do we not summon the New Liver Transplant Hospital’s head Dr Saeed?” he added.