LAHORE - A Lahore High Court division bench on Monday suspended order of a single bench that restored 452 employees of the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA).

The bench passed the order on an Intra Court Appeal moved by the Punjab Land Records Authority and sought reply from the respondents.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi had reinstated 452 employees who were serving the authority as Service Centre Officials. The authority had terminated them for being recruited in violation of rules.

The authority through its appeal submitted that the terminated employees should qualify a re-evaluation test. It said the posts of SCOs were filled through departmental recruitments. It said the eligibility criterion for such posts was fixed as bachelor’s degree, diploma in computer and a minimum typing speed of 40 words per minute. However, it said, the criterion was overlooked during the recruitment process of 452 SCOs and incapable candidates were selected to the posts, allegedly on the basis of corruption and nepotism.

The counsel said that PLRA DG took strict notice of the recruitments and ordered a departmental inquiry.

He said that only 38 SCOs could qualify the re-evaluation process and an FIR was registered against the culprits involved in illegal recruitments.

He said the case had been sent to the Anti-Corruption Establishment for further inquiry. After the departmental inquiry, the PLRA DG passed an order for their termination. The counsel asked the court to a set aside the order of the single bench.

After hearing arguments of the authority’s counsel, the bench suspended the decision of the single bench and sought reply from the respondents. The court would resume hearing on Sept 29.

 

agriculture dept’s order for cold storages suspended

The Lahore High Court on Monday suspended a notification issued by the agriculture department to cold storages to pay tax because they were associated with the business of agriculture products.

Justice Ayesha A Malik passed the order on a petition moved by the Sahiwal Cold Storages Association, which has 120 members in Sahiwal.

The association, through its counsel, assailed the order of the special secretary for agricultural that required cold storages to obtain licences and pay market committee fee because they were involved in sale and purchase of agriculture products. He said that this notification should be set aside. After hearing initial arguments, the court suspended the notification and issued a notice to the department to submit reply. The hearing was adjourned for two weeks.

In another case against admission of medical students on alleged fake entry tests, the LHC adjourned hearing until Sept 25. As many as 16 students had filed the petition in the Lahore High Court.

Also, an-Anti-Terrorism Court adjourned until Sept 25 the hearing of Shahbaz Taseer kidnapping case. The CTD produced Ayesha Timmy before the court to record her statement. However, the court adjourned the hearing.

Court stays collection of

advance income tax from PCB

The Lahore High Court on Monday stayed collection of advance income tax from the Pakistan Cricket Board by the Federal Board of Revenue.

Justice Ayesha A Malik passed the order on a petition moved by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The judge suspended tax notice issued by the FBR and directed it to submit reply within two weeks.

During the hearing, the counsel for the board contended that the PCB was a national institution for the promotion of cricket in the country.

He said the law had given it exemption from all kind of taxes. The counsel said the FBR issued a notice to the board for the recovery of Rs400 million under the head of advance income tax for the period of two years.

The counsel contended that under Section 236 of the Income Tax Ordinance tax could be levied on the income of an individual only and not an institution. He prayed to the court to set aside the show-cause notice issued to the PCB for the recovery of advance income tax for being unlawful.