LHC orders release of withheld salaries

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday directed an executive engineer (XEN) of irrigation department to immediately release withheld salaries of past one and a half year of a serving peon (Naib Qasid).

The petitioner, Tanvir Abbas, through his counsel Sheraz Zaka argued that he was reinstated in compliance with court’s earlier order but salaries of one and a half year had not been paid to him. He pointed out that he made several application and reminders to the high-ups but they paid no heed to his request.

On Friday, an XEN of irrigation department Gujrat appeared before the court and admitted that salary had not been given to the petitioner. He, however, could not give satisfactory answer to the court about inordinate delay in salary.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi expressed dismay at XEN’s performance and treatment meted out by the petitioner at the hands of the XEN. The court also barred secretary irrigation and XEN from terminating the petitioner or taking any coercive measures against him.

The court observed that it was pathetic that a poor man had been deprived of his salary of Rs8,000 per month for the past one and a half year. Sheraz Zaka argued that depriving the petitioner of his salary was an infringement of his fundamental rights, including right of life with dignity.

The court adjourned hearing for March 8 and sought compliance report from irrigation department.