LHC upholds caretaker govt’s decision on 97 law officers

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday upheld the caretaker government’s appointment of law officers, dismissing petitions of 97 law officers, including Punjab Advocate-General Ahmed Awais, who was appointed by the-then PTI’s provincial government.

The bench has also set aside the notification of new 19 law officers who retained their offices in the last government headed by Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, the-then chief minister of Punjab.

A five-member bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, heard several petitions wherein the act of removal of law officers, appointed by the-then PTI government, by the caretaker government had been challenged.

Four judges ruled unanimously in favour of the caretaker government’s decision, with Justice Asim Hafeez writing a dissenting note.

Punjab Advocate-General Ahmed Awais and other law officers had challenged their removal by the caretaker government, contending they had been removed illegally by the caretaker setup.

The representatives of the caretaker government, on the other hand, claimed that the former government’s appointees were removed by the law. The bench, after hearing detailed arguments from all sides, reserved its decision. On Tuesday, the bench announced the decision.