LAHORE, Aug 29: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the federal government on a writ petition challenging appointment of Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo’s son-in-law as vice chairman of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC).

Advocate Javed Rashid filed the petition and stated that the respondent minister used his political influence and got his son-in-law Shahzad Ali Khan appointed as PCCC vice chairman.

He said the respondent vice chairman was not eligible for the post as he had no experience in the cotton field.

The lawyer pleaded that the appointment of the respondent also deprived many eligible candidates of their right to have an equal opportunity to contest for the post.

The petitioner prayed that the impugned appointment be set aside by declaring illegal and without lawful authority.

The court heard the arguments and directed the federal government through the ministry of textile industry to file a reply by Sept 27.

DISPOSED OF: The LHC chief justice on Wednesday disposed of a petition against a laptop distribution ceremony held at the Punjab University with the expenses of the varsity.

The PU through its counsel told the court that the city district government had transferred an amount of Rs8.7 million to the university. To this effect, the counsel also presented cheque of the paid amount. At this Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial disposed of the petition.

On previous hearing, the city district government had told the court that it had made payment to the PU and the court directed it to present the cheque of the payment.

Nazir Ahmad through Advocate Aftab Bajwa had challenged the expenditure made by the university for free laptop distribution ceremony. The petitioner submitted that PU Vice-Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran sanctioned a supplementary grant on account of arranging the laptop distribution ceremony without permission of PU syndicate.

He said the VC arranged the function to oblige Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif by inviting them as chief guest at the ceremony. He said it was against the law to use the money of educational funds for political purposes. The petitioner prayed that the Punjab government should be directed to refund the expenses of the ceremony to the university.