Appointment of Plant Protection DG set aside

LAHORE

The Lahore High Court Thursday set aside appointment of Sahibzada Imran Shami as Director General of Plant Protection Department and directed the principal secretary of the prime minister to make new appointment strictly on merit. 

Earlier, a deputy attorney general undertook before the court that the new appointment would be made on merit. Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan directed the law officer to ensure the new appointment by Jan 19, 2017. Advocate Sheraz Zaka had challenged the appointment of Shami saying the impugned appointment was made in violation of law and without the approval of the prime minister.  The petitioner-lawyer further stated that the respondent director general was not a masters’ degree holder in subject of agriculture, the requisite qualification for the post. He said the respondent had a masters’ degree in business administration (finance). The lawyer pointed out that departmental inquiries were also pending against Shami before his appointment as director general of the Plant Protection Department. He asked the court to set aside the impugned appointment for being made in violation of rules and based on nepotism.