LAHORE - The Lahore High Court yesterday summoned the Secretary Local Government to reply over a petition challenging appointment of 12 members of the Punjab Assembly as directors of five public sector companies.
Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi passed the order and adjourned further hearing by April 17.
Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed had filed the petition through his counsel Advocate Sheraz Zaka.
Appearing before the court, the petitioner’s counsel contended that there were several MPAs who were working as directors with different public sector companies owned by the Punjab government including Punjab Saaf Pani Company, Lahore Transport Company, Lahore Parking Company, Punjab Agricultural and Meat Company, Lahore Waste Management Company.
Sheraz Zaka argued that the public representatives, who already enjoy several perks and privileges along with the salary, were getting benefits from these companies as directors. “This is a waste of taxpayer’s money,” he held.
MPA Ramazan Siddique Bhatti is functioning as one of the directors of Lahore Transport Company; Nasreen Nawaz, Ramzan Siddique Bhatti, and Kiran Dar are working as directors of Lahore Parking Company; Kashif Padhiar, Amanullah Khan, Qazi Adnan Fareed, Rana Baber Hussain, Ch Lal Hussain, Mahmood Qadir Khan, Qamarul Islam, and Waheed Gull are working as directors of Punjab Saaf Pani Company; Majid Zahoor is functioning as one of the directors of Lahore Waste Management Company; and MPA Hussain Jahania Gardezi is working as one of the directors of Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company.
He submitted that the five companies were incorporated under Section 42 of the Companies Ordinance 1984 and were owned by the Punjabgovernment. These were regulated under Public Sector Companies Corporate Governance Rules 2013. He said that these MPAs were functioning as directors of five different public sector companies in violation of section 3(7) of Public Sector Companies Corporate Government Rules 2013. He said this provision says that no person having a political or legislative role could become a director of a company governed by Public Sector Companies Corporate Governance Rules 2013.
The petitioner argued the appointments as illegal and maintained that these MPAs have failed to perform their statutory obligations and their functioning in these companies have brought political interference, lack of transparency and conflict of interest.
SUMMONS OVER POLLUTION CHARGE RULES: Meanwhile, the LHC sought personal appearance of Director General Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in a petition against violation of pollution charge rules.
Zubair Niazi of PTI and one Muhammad Naeem had filed the petition questioning the Environmental Impact Assessment and Initial Environmental Examination rules.
During the Friday’s hearing, Advocate Sheraz Zaka appeared on behalf of the petitioners and said that the blatant violation of pollution charge rules had been taking place. The DG EPA did not submit report regarding compliance of the court’s previous order, he added.
The counsel stated that Pakistan ratified United Nations climate change convention 1992 and the recent Paris conference in 2015 the government pledged to enforce provisions of environmental laws but practically no implementation had been made. However, the legal advisor for the agency pleaded the court to grant some time for report’s compliance.
After hearing the arguments, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah expressed his dismay and directed the DG EPA to personally appear in the court by March 29.