Notices issued on plea against Rescue1122 DG

LAHORE:A Lahore High Court division bench on Monday issued notices to Punjab government and others on an intra court appeal (ICA) challenging dismissal of a writ petition against extension in employment contract of Dr Rizwan Naseer as director general of Punjab Emergency Service/Rescue1122.

District Emergency Officer, Lahore Dr Ahmad Raza filed the appeal demanding the court to set aside the appointment of the respondent for being illegal and also the decision by a single bench.

During the preliminary hearing, the appellant’s counsel argued that the single bench did not apply its independent judicial mind while passing the impugned judgment but completely ignored all the law and the jurisprudence involved in the matter.

He further argued that the single bench also ignored corrupt practices of Dr Naseer, the respondent, brought on the record by the home department in its reply and adverse observations made against him by the provincial ombudsperson in a sexual harassment case.

The counsel pointed out 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. The two-judge bench comprising Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Jawad Hassan heard the arguments and issued notices to the respondents for submission of their replies in a fortnight.

The single bench in the impugned judgment had observed that the petitioner was aggrieved by the decisions of the respondent, Dr Naseer, with respect to disciplinary action on various grounds. It noted that the petitioner was also terminated by the respondent, however, he was reinstated through a court.

The judge remarked that the competent authority extended the contract of the respondent for a period of one year with a decision that no further extension will be granted and the process for initial recruitment against the post of DG Rescue 1122 shall commence in accordance with law.

adjourned: An accountability court on Monday adjourned until 5 September the hearing of illegal appointments in educational institutes run by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) by its then chairman Asif Hashmi. The court has also summoned prosecution witnesses for the same date.

The NAB had accused Hashmi of making illegal appointments in educational institutes of ETPB. Moreover, ETPB’s former chairman is facing three corruption cases in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for illegal investments of Rs985.56 million in stock exchange and making 716 illegal appointments. Besides, Hashmi is also facing a case in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in which he was accused of selling ETPB land to Defence Housing Authority at cheap rates.