The Punjab government has set up a high-level commission, headed by Justice (r) Saeedur Rehman Farrukh, to fix responsibility for the loss of precious lives during the recent strikes held by young doctors across the province in public-sector hospitals, stated a report submitted in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday.
After reading the report, LHC Chief Justice (CJ) Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry disposed of the petition seeking action against doctors for observing strikes. The LHC CJ ordered the law officer of the Punjab government to submit an inquiry report of the commission in court within the next 15 days.
Petitioner Manzoor Qadir, through his counsel Gul Zaman, submitted that doctors could not deprive any patient of treatment, according to their oath of duty,
but the YDA closed outdoor wards in teaching hospitals.
The petitioner alleged that the said group was also preventing other doctors from working and 40,000 patients were facing problems. The petitioner requested the court to pass directions for opening hospitals and stopping doctors from such actions, which exploit patients. He also requested the court to direct the Punjab government to take action against doctors.
On April 8, the LHC CJ had ordered the Punjab government to conduct a probe on doctors’ strike and losses incurred during it and punish the people responsible for the losses.
BoP president’s appointment challenged in LHC: Lahore High Court Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh issued notices to the Punjab government, board of directors of the Bank of Punjab (BOP) and State Bank of Pakistan to reply in a petition challenging the appointments of president/CEO and deputy CEO of BOP.
The petition was filed by Shahid Shabbir, alleging that appointments of president/CEO and deputy CEO of the bank had been made in violation of the provisions of BOP Act, 1989. He alleged that educational credentials of the president of the bank were not verified at the time of his appointment and a report from an international investigation agency did not verify the educational credentials claimed by the president.
According to a press release issued by Shahid Shabbir, he requested the court to order an immediate inquiry into the merits and mode of appointments of public offices and pass an appropriate order setting aside their appointments. He said the appointments were in violation of the law and against the public interest.
