Rescue 1122 DG post to be filled as per rules, court told

LAHORE:The Punjab Home Department on Wednesday told the Lahore High Court that the posts of director generals of Punjab Emergency Service-1122 and its academy will be advertised and filled as per the existing rules.

A deputy secretary of the department further stated before the court that the post of DG emergency service academy had been created in 2015. He said former DG PES/Rescue 1122 Dr Rizwan Naseer was appointed in 2006 on a contract basis. He said under the law neither Dr Naseer could be regularised as DG Rescue 1122 nor appointed as DG of the academy. Justice Ayesha A Malik was hearing a petition by Dr Naseer for regularisation of his services.

Responding to a wish of the petitioner to be appointed as DG of the academy if regularisation was not possible, the deputy secretary made it clear before the court that the government will advertise the posts in a transparent manner available in the law. He said no post could be filled according to someone’s wish.

Justice Malik asked Dr Naseer as to why he was so persistent to get the job if the government did not want to retain his services. The judge observed that the petitioner could serve the country in any other department as well. The judge reserved verdict on the petition and advised the petitioner to carefully consider the suggestions of the court.

Last week, the judge had also reserved on a petition by District Emergency Officer, Lahore Dr Ahmad Raza challenging the new contract awarded to Dr Naseer 80 days after expiry of his previous contract. The petitioner through counsel argued that the respondent had been appointed for more than five times as DG of the Rescue 1122 in past, which showed that only he could be found eligible for the post from across the province and there was no other person capable enough to run the affairs of body. He said the last contract of the respondent expired on Oct 16, 2019 after which he remained no more official and had nothing to do with the organisation.

However, he said, after almost 80 days of expiry of the contract, the home department illegally extended the contract of the respondent on Jan 6, 2020. Whereas, he said, a summary for extension of the respondent’s contract or reappointment was still pending with the provincial secretary services. He said the chief minister had also ordered an inquiry into issuance of the impugned notification without approval of the summary.