LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday restrained the Punjab government from opening bids for purchase of 1,200 Euro-II diesel buses.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan issued the orders on petition moved on behalf of M/S Gujranwala City Tours (Pvt) through Taffazul H Rizvi challenging bids called by the provincial government.
The counsel said the government wanted to purchase 1,200 Euro-II diesel buses, which would be given to operators, like petitioner on soft term loan basis. He submitted that the government would spend huge amount from public money to procure these buses, which were to be run by the fuel called Euro-II diesel, which was not available in Punjab.
Rizvi said even the oil refineries had declared the inability to produce this diesel in near future. He submitted in the recent past, government procured CNG buses which lie idle three days a week due to non-availability of CNG.
He asserted that the purchase of these diesel buses would cost about 45 per cent higher and it would be a futile exercise and waste of public money due to non-availability of this diesel. He requested to restraint he provincial government from procuring these buses.
Restraining the government from opening of bids, the judge also sought replies from the provincial government and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources by Sep 17.
Also, the LHC on Monday warned the Young Doctors Association (YDA) not to hold strikes to support their demands including service structure and one step promotion.
Representing the Punjab government, Additional Advocate General (AAG) Faisal Zaman informed the LHC that one step promotion to doctors was impossible because it would be discrimination with the community of other provinces. Consensus between the government and doctors on 42 points of 45 had been done and remaining ones would also be solved mutually within days, said the AAG.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan on Monday resumed hearing on petitions filed through Azhar Muhammad Siddique urging to restrain the YDA from holding strikes. The counsels of petitioners, the provincial government and doctors appeared before the court.
Faisal Zaman reiterated the Punjab government’s stance to resolve the problems of doctors forever. “To resolve the issue of provincial doctors everlastingly, the government wants to introduce a distinguished and best system in light to their cadre,” the law officer said.
Representing the community, General Cadre Doctor’s Association President Dr Masood Sheikh said real sufferers were general cadre doctors and they were in majority with more than 14,000 in Punjab.
Without rectifying their grievances, no service structure could be a comprehensive document, submitted Dr Sheikh, adding during the high-level meeting chaired by Senator Ishaq Dar, many of the demands of general cadre doctors had been principally approved, but their announcement was linked with the package deal with rest of the doctors’ representative.
He requested the court if so many points of the general cadre doctors and other doctors representative had been principally agreed upon, then their should be no delay in finalising the service structure and reaching at a consensus.
Petitioners’ counsel Siddique informed the court that the YDA had again announced, in a press briefing, to start agitation campaigns from Sep 5 (tomorrow) in support of their demands which was contempt of court.
At this, the court restrained the doctors from holding strikes and sought report consisting meeting of minutes discussed between the government functionaries and doctors for Sep 10.