LAHORE, Dec 18: The Attorney General of Pakistan would make submissions on behalf of the federal government when a division bench of the Lahore High Court resumes hearing of a plea against the appointment of Punjab Service Tribunal chairman and provincial ombudsman by the acting governor.

The bench comprising Justice Hamid Ali Shah and Justice Tariq Shamim had issued notices on Tuesday to Punjab chief secretary, secretary services and general administration, secretary law, secretary to the Punjab chief minister, chairman of the Punjab Service Tribunal Justice Arshad Jahangir (retired), and Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal. Punjab PPP finance secretary Aurangzeb Burki, through Chaudhry Fawad Hussain advoate, had moved the court, submitting the appointments were unlawful because the acting governor, Rana Muhammad Iqbal, had made them in the absence of Governor Salmaan Taseer.

When the court took up the matter on Thursday, Akram Sheikh and Raza Farooq advocates, appearing on behalf of the respondents, argued that the case in hand had constitutional implications and should be taken up after winter vacation.

Punjab Advocate General Khawaja Harris and advocate Ashtar Ausaf, who represented newly-appointed Punjab Ombudsman, endorsed these views.

Chaudhry Fawad argued that the matter should be decided without any delay and the respondent appointees should be barred from working through an interim order.

However, the bench turned down the request of petitioner's counsel and adjourned the hearing till Monday.

During the course of arguments, petitioner's counsel pointed out that in the presence of Advocate General Office the government could not engage private lawyers to contest cases.

Responding to this argument, Mr Harris said the counsel should not go beyond the scope of the case and refrain from making such comments.

Deferring the case till Monday, the bench observed that the maintainability of the petition would be decided after the arguments of the attorney general.