LAHORE: The provincial government told the Lahore High Court on Thursday that 90pc of Punjab University Senate’s composition had been completed after the governor/chancellor notified his five nominees.

Assistant Advocate General Ahmad Hassan presented before the court a notification issued by Rafiq Rajwana and said the governor in his capacity as chancellor notified his nominees. The nominees include poet Sughra Sadaf, scholar Ms Naveed Shahzad, journalist Sohail Warraich, columnist Sofia Bedar and scientist Dr Naveed Ahmad Malik.

The law officer said the number of the 200-member senate rose to 180 after the nominations.

PU legal adviser Awais Khalid stated the remaining 20 members were required to be nominated by the Punjab Assembly speaker. However, he said legislation was needed for nomination of MPAs to the university’s senate. Functioning of the senate was essential for the legislation, he added.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah allowed the senate to start its functioning and complete the required legislation within two months. He also disposed of the petition filed by Prof Javed Sami of the university.

Advocate Saad Rasool argued on behalf of the petitioner that the PU senate had not seen its full strength since 1985. He said the VC had been running the university’s affairs illegally.

SUMMONED: The LHC directed a gang-rape suspect to ensure his appearance on the next hearing of a prosecution department’s appeal challenging the bail granted to him following a ‘compromise’ with the victim party.

The prosecution pleaded that a sessions court granted bail to suspect, a former office-bearer of PML-N Youth Wing, after the victim girl tendered an affidavit in his favour.

The appeal said the affidavit filed by the girl was a result of pressure exerted on her family by the accused party. It said the girl in her first statement recorded before a judicial magistrate had maintained that the former office-bearer was the prime suspect in the gang-rape incident.

The prosecution asked the court to declare the affidavit of the girl void and cancel bail granted to the suspect.

Justice Shahid Hamid Dar issued a notice to the suspect for Nov 25 with direction to appear on the date without fail.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2016