OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE Taking action on a contempt-of-court petition, Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court on Saturday ceased the functioning of Mahboob Alam as Chief Executive Officer of Gepco (Gujranwala Electric Company). The court also directed the Board of Directors of the Gepco to correct their action taken with regard to the respondent (the CEO). On an earlier writ petition by Sheikh Muhammad Ilyas against Mahboob Alam, the honourable court, while suspending the resolution passed by the Board of Directors on June 13 to appoint Mr Alam, had directed the Board to invite recommendations of the Federal Government, the authority concerned, and the experts in the power sector for names of the competent professionals for appointment as CEO. And the appointments must be make applying judicial mind to a valid and relevant criteria and in accordance with the law. Despite this order, Mahboob Alam had continued to function in the office. The respondent informed the court that the Board has begun corrective measures. To the mind of the court, the letter addressed to the Federal Government by the Chairman of the Board on July 11m at best complied with the consequential measure envisaged in the earlier judgment while that action, as the court found, had failed to address the legal effect of the direction suspending the resolution. In that respect the Board has defaulted in complying with the court order, the court observed on Saturday, adding that the patent result is that the respondent [Mahboob Alam] cannot continue to function as CEO. Hence it is directed that the respondent shall cease to act as CEO of the Gepco, pending lawful corrective and curative action that taken by the court. With that the court disposed of the petition.