Plea against PFA DG’s removal dismissed

LAHORE : Justice Shahid Jamil Khan of Lahore High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition challenging removal of Noorul Ameen Mengal as director general of Punjab Food Authority (PFA).

During the proceedings on Thursday, advocate general, Punjab (AG) had relinquished the charge.

After the AG's statement, the petitioner withdrew his petition and the judge dismissed it as withdrawn.

The judge on July 3 had directed the chief secretary to submit a detailed reply and had also allowed Mr Mengal to continue work as PFA director general until further order if he had not relinquished the charge.

Petitioner's counsel Saad Rasool said that the government was empowered to appoint director general at the PFA under Section 10 of the Punjab Food Authority Act 2011.

He pleaded that under the law the food authority’s board of members could remove/change its director general only and the government had no power to remove or transfer the PFA’s director general.

He also said that the PFA’s board had not taken any decision on the removal of its director general.

He alleged that the removal of Mr Mengal by the caretaker government had been done on political consideration and beyond its mandate.

He said that since the petition was a public interest litigation initiated by citizens; therefore, they were not required to approach services tribunal against the termination of a public servant.

He requested to set aside the impugned decision of the caretaker government and reinstate Mr Mengal as director general of the food authority.