LAHORE – Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was told on Monday that 109 political assistants, advisers, special assistants and coordinators were working in Punjab.
The chief justice had ordered the provincial government to tell the court that under which law and rules these assistants and others were appointed by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The chief justice had also sought explanation from the government that under what law these assistants could interfere in the administrative affairs of the government.
As court resumed hearing on Monday, Punjab additional advocate general submitted a list mentioning the appointment of 109 assistants for the government and the chief minister. He added that most of these assistants were working without salary for the government.
Petitioner lawyer Rana Mehtab, however, reiterated that only five political assistants could be appointed according to the law, but the chief minister had appointed 109 which had become burden on provincial kitty.
He said the court had already declared such appointments as illegal and unlawful. He said these assistants were using government offices and vehicles causing financial loss to the national exchequer. He requested the court to decide the matter at the earliest because the petition was of important nature and pending for the seven months.
The petitioner had submitted that the government in a bid accommodate its blue eyed workers had appointed them as assistants against hefty amounts and benefits. Due to financial crunch, it had become hard to run the provincial matters and the government had further burdened the exchequer to accommodate its political workers.
He prayed the court to declare illegal the all appointments of unnecessary assistants and sought direction for the government not to make such appointments in future. The court would resume hearing on November 15.
NOTICE TO ECP: The LHC issued notice to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on a petition seeking disqualification of a PML-N MNA Syed Salman Mohsin Gillani on the basis of possessing fake graduation’s degree.
Mian Naseem Mahmood Hotiana, a defeated candidate of PPP from NA 165, Pakpattan, filed the petition and submitted that the respondent MNA had contested general election of 2008 from same constituency on the basis of a fake degree. He said an inquiry conducted by Higher Education Commission had also proved his (Mohsin) degree a fake one. A case had also been registered against the respondent MNA on the direction of election commission.
He pointed out that despite registration of case of having fake degree, the MNA was attending assembly sessions which was against the law and constitution of Pakistan.
He requested the court to disqualify the MNA in view of the provisions of Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution. He also requested the court to restrain him from attending the assembly sessions till the final decision of the petition.
Justice Nasir Saeed Sheikh heard initial arguments and issued notices to the ECP and also to the respondent MNA for second week of October.
MADHIANA GETS NOTICE: The LHC issued notice to former PPP MPA Aslam Madhiana in a petition seeking cancellation of his bail in schoolteacher torture case.
Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi issued the notice to the PPP leader on an appeal moved by the Punjab government.
In the appeal, the provincial government said Madhiana was wanted in 30 other cases including the teacher torture case. Representing the government, an Additional Prosecutor General Abdul Samad said there were ample proves on the record which showed involvement of the accused in the matter but the subordinate court on July 10 granted him bail against the law.
He said the complainant schoolteacher Nafees Ahmad in the FIR accused that Madhiana attacked him after he raised an objection against his criminal acts.