PAT lawyer’s no-show in Model Town case irks court

LAHORE: A full bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday showed annoyance over non-appearance of counsel for Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) in a petition of Punjab former inspector general of police Mushtaq Sukhera challenging summons issued to him by an anti-terrorism court on a private complaint of the PAT.

As the court started hearing, Mushtaq Sukhera along with his lawyer turned up; however, PAT’s counsel Rai Bashir Ahmad did not appear. The absence of the PAT’s counsel irked the judges as head of the bench Justice Abdul Sami Khan observed that the party’s leaders used to complain in media that judges were not deciding the cases and here its own lawyer was absent from the court.

The bench adjourned hearing until February 14 and directed the PAT’s counsel to ensure his appearance in the court. The bench also extended stay granted to the former IGP against the summons issued by the ATC. Sukhera through his counsel had pleaded that the summons were issued on the basis of false information provided to the trial court. He said he had taken the charge of his office when the Model Town incident occurred in June 2014.

The former police chief said he had nothing to do with the alleged incident while the PAT filed the private complaint before the ATC with a delay of 21 months. He asked the court to set aside the summons. The ATC had summoned 127 suspects, including Sukhera, former DIG operations, former DCO Lahore and others after allowing the private complaint moved by the PAT for the officers trial on charges of killing its workers during the firing incident outside the residence of Dr Tahirul Qadri in Model Town.

challenged: A writ petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court challenging inordinate delay in appointment of a regular vice-chancellor of University of Health Sciences (UHS) and charge of acting vice-chancellor given to Prof Dr Faisal Masood.

A citizen, Sheikh Waseem, filed a petition through his counsel pleading that the UHS has been rendered dysfunctional on account of unexplained delay in appointment of its regular vice-chancellor since February 16, 2017 which is the sheer violation of laws.

He submitted that failure of Punjab governor/chancellor and chief secretary to timely initiate process for appointment of regular VC of UHS and unlawful appointment of Dr Faisal Masood raised multiple questions. He argued that temporary appointment of the respondent doctor had been made in sheer violation of the settled laws and without advertisement of the post. He said the post was neither advertised nor applications were invited from equally eligible candidates to compete for the post.

The petitioner stated that the respondent had already reached the age of superannuation and permanently disqualified to be a professor in public sector. He requested the court to seek an explanation from Dr Faisal Masood as to under what authority of law he has been holding the office of acting vice-chancellor, particularly after reaching the age of superannuation.

He asked the court to direct the government to appoint qualified person eligible for the post after observing all legal formalities and through due process of law. Plea against proposed demolition: A writ petition has been moved in the Lahore High Court against the likely demolition of Lahore High Court’s historical gate on The Mall to expand the Chowk – which would be the route of Orange Line Metro Train.

A local lawyer has moved the petition saying the gate of Lahore High Court from GPO side had historical value but the government wanted to demolish it to expand GPO Chowk. In fact, the demolition was being planned for Orange Line Metro Train project which was not allowed under the law, he said.

The petitioner said the government’s NOC for demolition of the gate was illegal and unlawful. He asked the court to restrain the Punjab government from damaging the gate due to its historical value.