LAHORE, May 26: Veteran journalist and columnist Shafqat Tanvir Mirza has filed a petition in the Supreme Court, asking the court to take notice of denial of arrears to him and many others by the National Press Trust (ex-Progressive Papers Limited).

The petitioner’s counsel says his client wants to bring to the notice of this court the injustice and violation of his (and many others’) fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 3, 9, 25 and 38 and Preamble to the Constitution.

Advocate Maqsooma Zahra Bokhari, Mr Mirza’s counsel, says the petitioner is a well known academic, a Punjabi writer of many books, poet and winner of the Pride of Performance award. Many distinguished Punjabi literature awards are given in his name in Pakistan as well as India.

The petitioner, who is critically ill nowadays, was editor of daily Imroze, a publication of the Progressive Papers Ltd. (PPL). On April 4, the Lahore High Court told the NPT to pay the petitioner his outstanding pension in lump sum, keeping in view a periodical increase given by the government from time to time since 1996 till date, within 30 days. However, the order of the LHC has not been complied with so far.

The counsel says many petitions were filed by other employees of the PPL in the Multan bench and the NPT chairman failed to meet his commitment despite giving undertakings. Contempt petitions have been pending against him for almost two years.