LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday stayed demotion of three SPs, eight DSPs and an inspector, directing the police department to decide the matter of the petitioner-officers after affording them an ample opportunity of hearing.

Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti passed this order on two identical petitions filed by SPs Idrees Qureshi, Farooq Haddal and Karamtullah, DSPs Riaz Ali Shah, Muhammad Islam, Muhammad Zulfiqar, Ashraf Chaddhar, Malik Sarwar Awan, Rashid Mahmood Fazal, Malik Nawaz, Muhammad Abid, Agha Nasir and inspector Malik Manzoor.

Advocate Talat Farooq Sheikh argued on behalf of the police officers and told the court the petitioners’ cases did not fall in the category of out-of-turn promotion.

He said Punjab IG Mushtaq Sukhera misinterpreted the decision of the Supreme Court and issued a notification on June 23, 2016, demoting the petitioners.

The counsel said the authority did not hear the petitioners’ point of view before issuing their demotion orders. He asked the court to set aside the impugned notification for being unlawful.

Justice Bhatti suspended the notification and directed the additional IG to decide cases of the petitioners after hearing each of them. Operation of the impugned notification of June 23 would remain suspended till fresh decision by the officer, the judge said.

Contempt plea disposed of: The Lahore High Court on Thursday disposed of a contempt petition against the communication and works department secretary after the bureaucrat undertook to implement an order of the court in its letter and spirit.

Widow Syeda Kaneez Fatima sought contempt proceedings against the secretary for defying court’s order regarding compensation to her against acquisition of her property for the construction of Okara-Kasur Bypass Road.

Advocate Taffazul Haider Rizvi argued on behalf of the petitioner that the court had ordered the respondent secretary to decide the matter of compensation to be paid to the woman against the land acquisition. He said the government had not filed any appeal against the order.

The counsel said the secretary instead of implementing the judgement of the court attempted to reopen the case by holding that the project was a farm-to-market road for which no compensation was required. However, the counsel said, this question was already decided by the court as it was held to be a bypass road.

C&W Secretary Mushtaq Ahmad appeared before the court of Justice Ayesha A. Malik and tried to justify his act, but when the judge warned him that contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against him, the secretary withdrew his order and undertook to pass a fresh order complying with the judgment of the court.

The judge in view of the secretary’s undertaking disposed of the contempt application against him.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2016