LAHORE - The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed dismay over poor performance of police and sought reports from regional police officers in a case relating to missing children.
A two-member bench consisting of Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik took up the suo motu case at the SC Lahore Registry.
During the proceedings, Assistant Advocate General Rai Ashfaq Ahmad Kharal appeared before the court and submitted reports. The law officer said that out of nine children, two had been traced. He said that son of Model Town’s Rajab Ali had been recovered, while kidnappers of a child from Kasur had confessed that they had killed him. He said that police were trying to trace seven missing children. The law officer said that son of Additional Sessions Judge Mehmood Yousaf had not been recovered, but some men allegedly linked to his kidnapping had been taken into custody. Police need more time for recovery of the victim, he submitted. On this, the court observed it was clear from reports that police performance was not satisfactory. “It is quite clear that police have not been working properly,” the court said. The court directed regional police officers of Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Shiekhupura to appear in person along with reports and adjourned the proceedings for a month.
LHC moved Registrar Office
A Lahore High Court official on Thursday moved a contempt petition against Registrar Office for not complying with the court orders in which it was ordered to provide him attested copies of alleged ‘out of turn promotions and illegal appointments’ with the high court.
Akmal Khan, a senior court associate/supervisory officer, had moved the petition saying that on March 24, 2017, a single bench comprising Justice Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq ordered the registrar office to provide him attested copies of all those persons who were given out of turn promotions and appointments in illegal way.
The petitioner said the Supreme Court through judgment which was reported as PLD 2016 SC 961 and civil review petition 474/16, had ruled that no illegal appointments, out of turn promotions and benefit of relaxation of rules would not be tolerated in the judicial department. He said that the judgment had held that administration committee of the high court have made appointments in complete disregard of the mandate given by the rules framed under Article 208 of the Constitution. It held that ignoring meritorious candidates by exercising power under Rule 26 of the Lahore High Court rules will damage the image of the institution, the petitioner said.
He further said that such practice, as per the SC judgment, might lead to distrust of the public in judicial institution.
Khan also said that every judge of the high court is the trustee of the institution and not above the law. He said the judiciary is the custodian of dispensation of justice in the society. For last several months, he said, he had been waiting for attesting copies but he was not provided these documents. He asked the court to order the respondent to provide him documents.
In his main petition, Akmal Khan had said that many employees of the court had been holding seats or posts in the leverage of Rule 26 of the LHC Establishment Rules. The petitioner also claimed that he had been waiting for his promotion for last nine years.
The petitioner’s counsel alleged that unbridled use of discretionary powers under rule 26 had been witnessed during the tenure of previous chief justices of the high court. He asked the court to declare all out of turn appointments and promotions as null and void.
Ends/ Nov 23-2017- FIDA