LAHORE - Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi on Monday expressed dismay over lethargic attitude of the Punjab government as it again failed to submit the details of public sector companies.

“Why is government was hesitating to provide the details?”the judge questioned while hearing a petition moved by Sania Kanwal against alleged corruption in Punjab Saaf Pani Company.

The judge summoned Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Saeed, saying: “I don’t want to summon the chief secretary but why the government is reluctant to presenting the record of public sector companies?”

Officials of Punjab Saaf Pani Company were also present in the courtroom.

Additional Advocate General Shan Gull questioned the maintainability of the petition, saying that the petitioner did not ask for the record and the companies whose record had been sought by the court had also not been the party in the case.

“Under Article 212, the court cannot summon details of the companies and their heads,” he added.

Justice Naqvi said: “Law officers of the advocate general office, instead of complying with the court orders, going to the chief justice with complaints against the judges, which is very awful.”

The law officer replied he didn’t know who went and complained the CJ about other judges.

He requested the court to give another two weeks. He also requested the court to decide miscellaneous application challenging the maintainability of the writ petition.

The judge said this would also be decided but the answer must be submitted that why the government was so reluctant to submit details of the public sector companies.

“One officer of grade-20 is getting Rs200,000 while other of the same grade is drawing Rs2 million. It also falls under the ambit of corruption, It has become a tradition here that a company is established and then the entire record is set on fire,” the judge maintained.

“The court will not allow law of the jungle in the country and will protect the money of taxpayers. Due to corruption of the officers, every citizen is under debt,” Justice Naqvi remarked while the Punjab chief secretary and other officers were standing before the court.

On it, the law officer said that these officers had nothing to do with the debt of country as it was continued since after the creation of Pakistan.

“The court has power to decide the petition before it, and has powers to take suo motu,” the law officer said. He said Punjab Saaf Pani Company’s record had been submitted while other companies attached with other public departments had not been a party the case.

Justice Naqvi said that it would be better if the law officer argued in light of the laws. The court adjourned the hearing until Oct 18 with directives to the government to come up with the details of the public sector companies.

 

 

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