LAHORE, July 23: Justice Hafiz Tariq Nasim of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition for direction to the Punjab government to promote petitioners against seven posts of assistant directors in the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).Justice Nasim observed that according to the rulings of the Supreme Court, the court could not interfere in a matter where factual controversy was involved. Though the petitioners said the slots were sanctioned, a law officer informed the court that these did not exist.

Petitioners, Haji Zahoor Ahmad, a superintendent, and Karam-ud-Din, a statistical assistant, said the finance department had sanctioned seven posts of assistant directors in the financial year 2007-2008 on the recommendations of the PPSC.

They said unless the finance department provided them with the audit copy for sanctioning of the posts, the petitioners’ promotions could not take place and the funds would lapse. They said the PPSC secretary had written to the department twice — first on January 25, 2008 and later on April 9, 2008 — to get the audit copy, but to no avail.

The counsel for the PPSC and an assistant advocate general said the petitioners had no right to agitate the matter before the court. They added neither the posts of assistant directors existed nor the service rules mentioned appointments against these slots.