LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has been asked to stay process for the appointment of 500 officials at Punjab Saaf Pani Company.

Through a stay application, Advocate Sheraz Zaka states that establishment of different companies in the province, including Saaf Pani, has already been challenged before the court. The other companies include Punjab Agricultural and Meat Company, Lahore Waste Management Company, Lahore Parking Company, Lahore Transport Company.

He says the Saaf Pani Company has initiated the process to fill 500 posts while the petition against its establishment is still pending before the court. He states that the officials being appointed against the advertised posts may face an irreparable damage if the ruling of the court comes against the company’s formation.

The lawyer contends that provincial companies whose objectives are restricted to one province, cannot be formed under a federal statute of companies ordinance 1984. He pleads that there should have been a provincial law to form such companies.

He further states that on one hand there is a local government system while on the other hand the commissionerate system has been restored, so formation of these companies is a burden on taxpayers money.

The petitioner asks the court to immediate stop recruitment process at Punjab Saaf Pani Company.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah would take up the case on Monday.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2017