LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday sought a copy of the resignation tendered by Punjab Chief Information Commissioner Naseer Ahmad Bhutta.

During hearing of a petition against the appointment, an additional advocate general told the court that the chief commissioner had tendered his resignation some days ago, therefore, the petition should be disposed of for being infructuous.

At this, Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah directed the law officer to submit a copy of the resignation on next hearing.

Advocate Shoaib Saleem had challenged the appointment of former MNA Naseer Ahmad Bhutta as chief information commissioner for being made on political consideration. He said Mr Bhutta was elected as MNA from Lahore in 2008 on PML-N’s ticket, which clearly showed that he had a long and close association with the ruling PML-N led by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said Mr Bhutta was also president of PML-N Lawyers Forum and two days before his appointment as the commissioner he resigned from the post of additional attorney general. The petitioner-lawyer argued that under the relevant law the information commissioner shall be a non-partisan person. He alleged that the government appointed Mr Bhutta to gain certain political designs.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2017