Irrigation secretary, XEN summoned in contempt case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday summoned Punjab secretary irrigation and executive engineer (XEN) in a contempt case for not giving salary to Naib Qasid Tanvir Abbas for the last one and a half year.

The judge observed that it is pathetic that a poor man had been deprived of his salary of Rs8,000 for the past one and a half year. The judge earlier had issued notices to both but on Monday, the respondents and law officer could not give satisfactory reply. The judge ordered the secretary and the XEN to personally appear on November 27.

The judge observed that it was despicable act that the petitioner had been deprived of his salary for the past one and a half year heeding no attention towards the order of the court. The judge remarked that it was a contempt of court and a violation of right of life to deprive a person of his salary for the past one and a half year despite the fact that he had been reinstated by the court order last year to his post of Naib Qasid.

Petitioner counsel Sheraz Zaka said that for the past one and a half year, Tanvir Abbas had been deprived of his salary. He said that it was an infringement of petitioner’s fundamental rights, including right of life with dignity.