LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has been asked to set aside the transfer of former chief secretary Azam Suleman Khan for being unlawful and uncalled for during the crisis of coronavirus pandemic.

“The country is witnessing deadliest pandemic of the history but the federal government in connivance with the Punjab government is only concerned with political postings and transfers,” states Advocate Humayoun Faiz Rasool in his petition assailing the CS transfer.

He submits that the province has lost precious lives during the last few weeks due to the Covid-19 pandemic but the government has not learnt any lesson from the history and appears to have more interest in political point-scoring than fighting the disease seriously.

He argues the manner in which Mr Khan has been removed is not only inappropriate but also unlawful in view of the constitutional provisions, statutes and procedure laid down by the Supreme Court.

The lawyer explains that after 18th Amendment, the federal government cannot take decisions without any consultation of the province concerned. In this case, he claims, the federal government has not consulted the provincial government making the transfer of the chief secretary an illegal act.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2020