Lawyers to observe strike on Iqbal Day

LAHORE
The Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) will observe a strike on Monday in protest against the cancellation of Iqbal Day public holiday on Nov 9.
The Lahore Bar Association also supported the call of the provincial bar council and announced a boycott of court proceedings on Iqbal Day. However, the Lahore High Court Bar Association did not welcome the strike call. PbBC Vice-chairperson Farah Ejaz Baig said lawyers in the province would not plead their cases before courts and observe Iqbal Day as per tradition.
LBA President Ch Ishtiaq A. Khan said the federal government by cancelling the holiday had negated the national ideology. He said the LHC should have not cancelled the holiday in light of a government notification.
LHCBA President Pir Masood Chishti said there was no reason to observe a strike on Iqbal Day.
challenged: A writ petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court challenging the appointment of Ali Jan Khan as Managing Director of Punjab Education Foundation (PEF). Advocate Shoaib Saleem has filed the petition. He says Ali Jan Khan has been appointed as MD PEF in violation of the rules and regulation and against the merit.
He submits that Punjab government appointed him through a notification issued on Oct 27, 2015. The Punjab government, he alleges, has violated the Act under which the foundation has been restructured in 2004.
Regulation No. 2.6 of Punjab Foundation Act 2004 says ‘Candidate at the time of application for the post of MD should have 18 years of experience,’ says the petitioner-lawyer. The petitioner states that the respondent MD does not qualify as he lacks the required experience and professional training to hold the office. Punjab Chief Secretary, who had issued the notification of his job, has also violated the law, he submits.
He argues that according to the law, appointment of Punjab Secretary School was to be made by the foundation through its Board of Directors and on the recommendations of Selection Committee constituted by it, as such the post of Managing Director being held by Ali Jan Khan is ultra vires to Act XII of 2004 of Province of Punjab Rules and the principles of Human Resource Manual framed by the foundation.
No advertisement was made by authorities concerned, he says, he said and requested the court to set aside the appointment of MD and order authorities concerned to ensure merit in making appointment.