LAHORE: A Lahore High Court division bench on Monday issued notices on an intra court appeal (ICA) challenging dismissal of a writ petition against extension of [employment] contract of Dr Rizwan Naseer as director general of Punjab Emergency Service/Rescue1122.

District Emergency Officer, Lahore, Dr Ahmad Raza filed the appeal demanding that the court set aside the appointment of the respondent for being illegal and also the decision by a single bench.

During the preliminary hearing, appellant’s counsel Shoaib Saleem argued that the single bench did not apply its independent judicial mind while passing the impugned judgment but completely ignored all the law and the jurisprudence involved in the matter.

He further argued that the single bench also ignored corrupt practices of Dr Naseer, the respondent, brought on the record by the home department in its reply and adverse observations made against him by the provincial ombuds person in a sexual harassment case.

The counsel pointed out that the respondent had been appointed for more than five times as DG of the Rescue 1122 in past, which showed that only he could be found eligible for the post from across the province and there was no other person capable enough to run the affairs of the body.

The two-judge bench comprising Justice Shahid Waheed and Justice Jawad Hassan heard the arguments and issued notices to the respondents for submission of their replies in a fortnight.

The single bench in the impugned judgment had observed that the petitioner was aggrieved by the decisions of the respondent, Dr Naseer, with respect to disciplinary action on various grounds. It noted that the petitioner was also terminated from service by the respondent; however, he was reinstated through a court.

The judge remarked that the competent authority extended the contract of the respondent for a period of one year with a decision that no further extension will be granted and the process for initial recruitment against the post of Rescue 1122 DG shall commence in accordance with law.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2020