LAHORE, Oct 22: Justice Nasim Sikandar of the Lahore High Court (LHC) is set to take up on Tuesday (today) a petition by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), challenging lease of the Lahore General Hospital’s Post Graduate Medical Institute to the Centre for International Medical Education of the United States.

Muhammad Azhar, counsel for petitioner Dr Azeemuddin Zahid, said the government had no authority to lease a public property in violation of the law and public interest. He said a notification regarding the institute’s board of management was illegal and in total disregard for the Punjab Medical & Health Institution Act, 2003 and the Punjab Medical & Health Institution Rules, 2003.

“An ad-interim injunction may be issued to the respondent by suspending the operation of the impugned notification(s), Letter of Award and transfer of PGMI/LGH and land of 100 kanals to CIME or any other company during the hearing of petition,” the petitioner said.

The federal health secretary, Punjab governor, chief minister, chief secretary, health secretary, law secretary, Lahore General Hospital chief executive/medical superintendent and board of management and Post Graduate Medical Institute principal have been made respondents in the petition.