LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed the Punjab Police Inspector General to appear in person for not implementing the court’s order.
Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan was hearing a contempt petition filed by Rashid Mahmood, an officer of Crime Investigating Department (CID) of Police.
He submitted that the court had ordered the police to implement the Punjab service tribunal’s verdict ordering to confirm and promote the petitioner from 1992.
He said neither the police had confirmed the petitioner nor taken any step in this regard. He said he was wandering from pillar to post to get implement the court verdict. He requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against IGP Habibur Rehman and direct him to implement the court order.
Justice Khalid Mhamood heard initial arguments and summoned the IGP for today.
BABU SUMMONED: The LHC started contempt of court proceedings against Punjab’s former secretary energy for ridiculing and humiliating the judiciary by writing adverse remarks about its involvement in executive functions.
Former Secretary Rab Nawaz had written the adverse remarks in his report while conducting an inquiry against Umer Hayat, head clerk at Khanewal EDO Office. The inquiry report, later, produced before the LHC during hearing a petition moved by Hayat challenging his removal from the service. The petitioner had contended the the Punjab government had appointed Rab Nawaz for inquiry against EDO Muhammad Hussain Naqvi and other officials — Kizar Hayat, Shaukat Hayat and Rana Saleem — on the charges of financial irregularities. However, the secretary energy recommended the removal of the petitioner from service without hearing him which was a discriminatory act of the inquiry officer.
In his inquiry report, the former secretary had forwarded his recommendations to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif that the government’s executive authority and effectiveness was being undermined over the past few years due to courts’ excessive interference in the executive’s functions.
“The judiciary’s interference in the executive’s matters is happening everyday in hundreds of cases in other department. So, it’s about time that the Punjab government takes up this issue with the appropriate levels in the judiciary and Service Tribunal for fresh ‘limits’ of the respective spheres and a mutually agreed policy,” some of the contents of the report said.
The judge had termed the inquiry report an insult to the judiciary by observing that the court’s main objective was to guard the fundamental rights of citizens according to the Constitution. As the court resumed hearing on Monday, it was informed that the govt had not taken action against Rab Nawaz.