LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday stayed the process for recruitment of lecturers by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) on a petition against non-allocation of job quota for the transgender community.

Fayazullah, a transgender person, filed the petition and pleaded through a counsel that the PPSC rejected his application for the examination being held to appoint Urdu lecturers.

The counsel said the commission took a plea that only male or female candidates could apply for the jobs and there was no provision to entertain members of the transgender community. He said the government policy was discriminatory in nature and contrary to the fundamental rights of the citizens. He further argued that the impugned policy was also in violation of Transgender Protection Act 2018.

He asked the court to set aside the discriminatory policy of the government and direct PPSC to allocate job quota for the transgender community.

After hearing initial arguments, Justice Faisal Zaman Khan directed a provincial law officer to file para-wise comments on behalf of the government within 15 days. The judge said the impugned recruitment process shall remain stayed.

DETENTION: LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Wednesday allowed time to a government law officer to submit record of the intelligence reports against activist Ammar Ali Jan.

The chief justice was hearing a petition by Jan against his detention order issued by the deputy commissioner. The detention was previously suspended by the court.

Additional Advocate General Abdul Aziz Awan opposed the maintainability of the petition and said the petitioner did not approach a review before the DC before moving the court.

He said the detention order was issued in the light of intelligence reports prepared by the law enforcement agencies. He, however, sought time to furnish the reports, and the CJ adjourned hearing till Feb 3.

Mr Jan, also president of Haqooq-i-Khalq Movement, had led a ‘student solidarity march’ on The Mall when his detention order was issued.

Plea rejected: The LHC has dismissed a petition seeking a restraining order against the PDM from holding its protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Justice Shahid Jamil Khan in his verdict observed that the petition was not maintainable before the LHC on the grounds of territorial jurisdiction since the impugned protest was held in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2021