LAHORE - The Lahore High Court Wednesday ordered the Federal Public Service Commission to fill the vacant post of Director General with Plant Protection Department of Food Ministry within three months.
Justice Ali Baqar Najafi of the LHC passed the orders and observed that the government authorities must ensure merit while appointing officials with public departments and refrain from making ad-hoc appointments.
A petitioner had moved the petition through his counsel Advocate Sheraz Zaka and argued that a single bench headed by Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan had declared the appointment of S M Imran Shami as DG of the plant protection department for not meeting the requirements for the said post. The petitioner’s counsel said that the authorities concerned had not been making appointment of the DG of Plant Protection department. He argued that Shami was also appointed as operational manager with the same department despite that he lacked the required qualifications. He said that only a qualified agriculturist could be appointed on the post. Plant Protection department, under the Food ministry, is responsible for importing of pests and agriculture products by keeping in consideration Phytosanitary measures.
However, the counsel of the ministry opposed the petition and said that the appointment of Shami was made on look after charge basis and soon the post would be filled by the FPSC.
At this, the judge observed that how an irregular appointment was made on look after charge without approval of the prime minister because it was 20-grade post. The judge ordered the FPSC to fill the vacant post within three months. The petition was disposed of.
Report sought on
Hafiz Saeed’s detention
The Lahore High Court Wednesday directed the Punjab home department to submit report on petition of Hafiz Saeed and four other members of Jamatud Dawa challenging their detention by the Punjab government.
A division bench headed by Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan passed the order. During the proceedings, Advocate A K Dogar, the counsel of Hafiz Saeed and his five aides, contended that the act of the Punjab government did not seem rationale as the detainees had unlawfully been detained. The counsel stated that the Punjab government detained his clients under Section 11-EEE(1) of Anti Terrorism Act 1997. Their detention, he stated, was violation of their fundamental rights, because the constitution enshrined freedom and liberty of every citizen. He argued that the act of the government had proved the bitter fact that we still were dependent nation as they had been detained only on the basis of U.N resolutions.
The counsel also told the court that Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan in a statement had said that by doing so, they fulfilled its obligations under UN resolutions. He argued that they had been serving the country like Abdul Sattar Edhi. The government had no evidence on the basis what he and his four aides were put into detention, the counsel argued.
He prayed that the government notifications for their detention be set aside for being illegal and unlawful. The court adjourned further hearing until March 7.